Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40776573›Full record

ArticleMovement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society2025

Impaired Glymphatic Clearance, Measured Using Diffusion Tensor Image Analysis Along the Perivascular Space (DTI-ALPS), is Linked to Poor Cognitive Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease.

Angeliki Zarkali, George Thomas, Ross Paterson, Naomi Hannaway, Ivelina Dobreva, Amanda J Heslegrave, Elena Veleva, Henrik Zetterberg, Rimona S Weil

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Angeliki ZarkaliDementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2808-072X
George ThomasDementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6107-0326
Ross PatersonDementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
Naomi HannawayDementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
Ivelina DobrevaDementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9401-1899
Amanda J HeslegraveUK DRI Fluid Biomarker Lab and Biomarker Factory, University College London, London, UK.
Elena VelevaUK DRI Fluid Biomarker Lab and Biomarker Factory, University College London, London, UK.
Henrik ZetterbergDementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
Rimona S WeilDementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5092-6325

Funding

Alzheimer's Research UK 2018B-001National Institute for Health and Care ResearchWellcome TrustWellcome Trust 205263/Z/22/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundImpaired glymphatic clearance may contribute to pathological accumulations in Parkinson's (PD), but how it interacts with other processes causing dementia remains unclear. Diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) has been proposed as an indirect proxy for glymphatic clearance.

objectivesTo clarify DTI-ALPS' relationship with cognition in PD, and its relationship with established imaging markers.

methodsWe assessed DTI-ALPS in 98 PD patients (31 PD poor outcomes: dementia, mild cognitive impairment, frailty, or death within a 3-year follow-up; 67 PD good outcomes) and 28 controls. We assessed DTI-ALPS' relationship to cognition, white matter (fiber cross-section), cortical thickness, iron accumulation (quantitative susceptibility mapping [QSM]), and plasma markers [phosphorylated tau-181 (p-tau181 and neurofilament light (NfL)] cross-sectionally and longitudinally).

resultsDTI-ALPS was lower in PD-poor outcomes compared with PD good outcomes and controls (P = 0.005) with further longitudinal reductions only in PD poor outcomes (group × time interaction: β = -0.013, P = 0.021). Lower DTI-ALPS was associated with lower fiber cross-section in PD, at baseline and longitudinally but with different spatial distribution from white matter changes relating to PD cognition. There was no correlation between baseline DTI-ALPS and plasma p-tau181 (P = 0.642), NFL (P = 0.448), or baseline cortical thickness. Lower DTI-ALPS was associated with accelerated cortical thinning within left precentral gyrus and changes in brain iron distribution.

conclusionsPD patients who develop poor outcomes show lower DTI-ALPS, potentially reflecting impaired glymphatic clearance. DTI-ALPS correlated with white matter integrity and brain iron accumulation. However, both showed different spatial distribution than that seen in PD dementia, suggesting DTI-ALPS captures a distinct contribution to cognitive decline. © 2025 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionDiffusion Tensor ImagingGlymphatic SystemParkinson DiseaseAgedCross-Sectional StudiesDementiaFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeurofilament Proteinstau ProteinsWhite MatterNeurofilament Proteinstau Proteinscortical thicknessglymphatic clearanceiron accumulationParkinson's dementiaParkinson's diseasewhite matter degeneration

Identifiers

PMID40776573
PMCPMC12661622

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.