Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 3, 2026

Cannula Implantation into the Cisterna Magna of Rodents
10:13

Cannula Implantation into the Cisterna Magna of Rodents

Published on: May 23, 2018

48.5K

Cisternal Contrast-Enhanced MRI Reveals Post-Stroke Glymphatic Impairment and Compensatory Metabolic Waste Clearance

Chengfeng Sun1, Chanchan Li1, Luyi Lin2

  • 1Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Translational Stroke Research
|September 10, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Ischemic stroke causes long-term impairment of the glymphatic system, leading to waste buildup. Cisternal contrast-enhanced MRI can detect this impairment and associated microglia/macrophage activity.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cerebrovascular Biology
  • Neuroimmunology

Background:

  • The glymphatic system clears waste from the brain.
  • Its role in later stages of ischemic stroke is not well understood.
  • Glymphatic dysfunction contributes to edema after stroke.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate glymphatic system changes in subacute and chronic phases post-ischemic stroke.
  • Determine if cisternal contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) can detect these alterations.
  • Explore the relationship between glymphatic impairment, waste retention, and neuroinflammation.

Main Methods:

  • Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model in Sprague-Dawley rats.
  • Cisternal contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) at subacute (1-2 weeks) and chronic (2 months) stages.
  • Immunofluorescence staining for microglia/macrophages.

Main Results:

  • Glymphatic system impairment was observed in the peri-infarct area, persisting from subacute to chronic phases.
  • CE-MRI showed contrast retention in infarct and peri-infarct areas during the subacute phase.
  • Contrast retention correlated with the distribution of microglia/macrophages.

Conclusions:

  • Ischemic stroke leads to persistent glymphatic system dysfunction and waste accumulation.
  • Delayed enhancement on CE-MRI may indicate waste retention and microglial activation.
  • Cisternal CE-MRI is a potential tool for studying glymphatic system interactions with neuroinflammation post-stroke.
Keywords:
Cisternal CE-MRIGlymphatic systemIschemic strokeMetabolic waste clearanceMicroglia/macrophages

More Related Videos

In Vivo Imaging of Cerebrospinal Fluid Transport through the Intact Mouse Skull using Fluorescence Macroscopy06:22

In Vivo Imaging of Cerebrospinal Fluid Transport through the Intact Mouse Skull using Fluorescence Macroscopy

Published on: July 29, 2019

14.7K
Isolation and Flow Cytometric Assessment of Neuroimmune Interactions in a Mini-Stroke Murine Model08:22

Isolation and Flow Cytometric Assessment of Neuroimmune Interactions in a Mini-Stroke Murine Model

Published on: June 20, 2025

436

Related Concept Videos

Ischemic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology01:15

Ischemic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology

An ischemic stroke occurs when a cerebral blood vessel becomes obstructed, most often by a thrombus or embolus, interrupting the delivery of oxygen and glucose to brain tissue. Because neurons rely on continuous aerobic metabolism, energy failure begins within minutes of reduced perfusion. The region receiving the least blood flow becomes the infarct core, an area of irreversible cellular death. Surrounding this core lies the penumbra, a zone of hypoperfused but still viable tissue that is...
54
Cerebral Edema ll: Pathophysiology01:22

Cerebral Edema ll: Pathophysiology

Vasogenic edema is a major form of cerebral edema characterized by abnormal accumulation of fluid in the brain’s extracellular space due to disruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is a specialized structure composed of endothelial cells connected by tight junctions, supported by astrocytic endfeet and a basement membrane. Under normal conditions, it tightly regulates the movement of ions, proteins, and solutes between the bloodstream and brain parenchyma. When this...
19
Cytotoxic Edema: Pathophysiology01:21

Cytotoxic Edema: Pathophysiology

Cytotoxic edema is a form of cerebral edema characterized by intracellular swelling of neurons, astrocytes, and other glial cells. It develops when the mechanisms responsible for maintaining ionic gradients across the cell membrane become impaired. Under normal physiological conditions, the sodium–potassium ATPase actively transports sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions into the cell, preserving osmotic balance and enabling electrical signaling. This pump requires a continuous...
20