Association of magnetic resonance imaging glymphatic function with gray matter volume loss and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease: a diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) study.

BACKGROUND

Diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) has been used for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, few studies have examined the relationship between the DTI-ALPS index and cortical metrics, and the differentiation between AD severity levels remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the differences in DTI-ALPS index and cortex among AD patients with varying severities and to analyze the interactions between DTI-ALPS index, cortical metrics, and cognitive function.

METHODS

A total of 19 individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 17 individuals exhibiting mild AD, 25 individuals with moderate AD, and 28 healthy controls (HC) who were matched for age, sex, and education level were recruited. All the participants underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), followed by the calculation of the DTI-ALPS index to assess lymphatic system function. FreeSurfer (v7.4.1) was used to calculate thickness, volume, local gyre index, and area. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to compare the differences among HC, MCI, mild AD, and moderate AD groups. Pearson correlation analysis was employed to investigate the connection between the DTI-ALPS index and cognitive function, along with cortical metrics.

RESULTS

The HC, MCI, mild AD, and moderate AD groups exhibited significant differences in the DTI-ALPS index of the left hemisphere (P=0.008), whereas 13 cortical metrics revealed a statistical significance between groups (P<0.05). In the left hemisphere, the DTI-ALPS index showed a positive trend with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score (r=0.397, P<0.001). Higher DTI-ALPS was also associated with an increase in 10 cortical metrics after controlling for age, sex, and education.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a significant relationship between the DTI-ALPS index, cortical metrics, and cognitive function. This result may suggest that lymphatic dysfunction indicated by the DTI-ALPS index could mirror cortical structural degeneration and cognitive decline within the pathological process of AD. DTI-ALPS can be used as an indicator of structural degeneration and decline in cognitive function in AD.