Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41550444›Full record

ReviewJPRAS open2026

Neurolymphatic clearance in neurodegenerative disease: Emerging mechanisms and potential translational strategies.

Adriano Fabi, André S Alves, Albert Neutzner, Stephan Frank, Ana Lariu, Laurent Muller, Tarek Ismail, Dimitrios G Gkotsoulias, Raphael Guzman, Dirk J Schaefer and 3 more

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in JPRAS open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
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

13 authors.

Adriano FabiDepartment of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
André S AlvesDepartment of Surgery, University Hospital of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentile 4, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
Albert NeutznerDepartment of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Hebelstrasse 20, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
Stephan FrankInstitute of Pathology, University Hospital of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 40, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
Ana LariuDepartment of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
Laurent MullerFaculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 61, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
Tarek IsmailDepartment of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
Dimitrios G GkotsouliasResearch Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience, University Hospital of Basel, Petersgraben 4, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
Raphael GuzmanFaculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 61, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
Dirk J SchaeferDepartment of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
Nir GrossmanUK Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, 86 Wood Lane, W12 0BZ London, United Kingdom.
Marc Aurel BuscheUK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT London, United Kingdom.
Elisabeth A KapposDepartment of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Neurolymphatic dysfunction has been linked to cognitive decline and implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD). Despite its growing recognition, the potential role of pharmacological or surgical neurolymphatic modulation remains poorly understood. Objectives: This review summarizes current evidence on the neurolymphatic system's anatomy, physiology and its involvement in neurodegenerative diseases. It also examines emerging pharmacological and lymphatic reconstructive techniques. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, yielding 187 studies related to the neurolymphatic system. Studies were screened for the following topics: (1) Anatomy and physiology of the neurolymphatic system, (2) The association between neurolymphatic dysfunction and neurodegenerative diseases, (3) Pharmacological and (4) Microsurgical neurolymphatic modulation. Results: Current evidence suggests that the neurolymphatic system facilitates drainage of interstitial and cerebrospinal fluid to the deep cervical lymph nodes. Preclinical models suggest that enhancing their clearance may promote the clearance of neurotoxic proteins and potentially improve cognitive function. Conclusions: Scientific evidence on neurolymphatic modulation in neurodegenerative diseases is scarce. Both pharmacological and microsurgical modulatory techniques remain experimental approaches for neurodegenerative diseases, with a significant potential to improve patients' quality of life. However, further research is warranted to establish their safety, feasibility, and efficacy. The current knowledge gaps underscore the need for a detailed mapping of the neurolymphatic pathways, preclinical evaluation, and translational interdisciplinary trials.

Indexed as

Glymphatic systemMeningeal lymphatic vesselsMicrosurgeryNeurodegenerative DiseasesNeurolymphatic systemNeuromodulation

Identifiers

PMID41550444
PMCPMC12803883

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.