MRI Indices of Glymphatic Function Correlate With Disease Duration in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

The glymphatic system represents an extravascular network of astrocytic channels responsible for interstitial fluid and solute transit through the brain parenchyma. Its dysfunction has been considered as a possible cause of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH).

We enrolled participants with active IIH, treated or cured IIH, and controls. The active IIH group was divided into untreated participants with recently developed (<6 mo) and chronic (6+ mo) disease. Glymphatic function was assessed using diffusion tensor imaging along the paravascular space (DTI-ALPS) to generate an ALPS-index, hypothesized to measure glymphatic function. Participants were imaged before lumbar puncture (LP) if IIH was suspected and following LP when possible.

ALPS indices were higher in participants with chronically present, active IIH than in those either with recently developed IIH or control participants. ALPS-indices correlated with papilledema but did not correlate significantly with age, BMI, or intracranial pressure (ICP).

Our findings suggest that DTI-ALPS-indices of glymphatic function may be influenced by the chronicity of intracranial hypertension but do not support the hypothesis that glymphatic dysfunction causes IIH. Though these findings are preliminary, glymphatic imaging may be a useful radiographic biomarker in IIH.