Impaired glymphatic function assessed by DTI-ALPS in drug-naïve Parkinson's disease and its association with motor and non-motor symptoms.

Abstract

Background and purpose: Glymphatic dysfunction is implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD), contributing to α-synuclein accumulation. This study investigates glymphatic activity in drug-naïve PD patients using the diffusion tensor imaging-analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) and explores its correlation with clinical symptoms.

Methods: We included 23 drug-naïve PD patients and 23 age-matched healthy controls (HCs) from Chengdu Second People's hospital between November 2022 to October 2023. The DTI-ALPS index was calculated for both hemispheres to assess glymphatic function. Clinical data, including Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) stage, new Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (n-FOGQ), International Restless Legs Syndrome (IRLS) scores, and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, were collected. Correlations between the DTI-ALPS index and clinical measures were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic was performed to test the predictive value of DTI-ALPS index.

Results: PD patients showed significantly reduced both in the left and right hemispheric DTI-ALPS index compared to HCs (P < 0.001). The right hemisphere DTI-ALPS index positively correlated with MMSE scores but negatively correlated with the H&Y stage. The left hemisphere DTI-ALPS index positively correlated with n-FOGQ and IRLS scores. ROC analysis showed an area under the curve of 0.936 for left-hemispheric DTI-ALPS in distinguishing PD from HCs.

Conclusion: Reduced glymphatic dysfunction, assessed by the DTI-ALPS index, was associated with both motor and non-motor symptoms in drug-naïve PD, suggesting its potential as a non-invasive biomarker for PD, offering new directions for targeted therapeutic interventions.