Abstract
Objective: The study aims to detect the potential relationship between iron deposition and the function of the glymphatic system in the normal aging brain.Methods: We recruited 213 healthy participants. We evaluated the function of the glymphatic system using the index for diffusivity along the perivascular space (ALPS-index), assessed iron deposition on quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), and analyzed their relationship.Results: The mean age of participants was 60.1 ± 7.3, and 107 (50.2%) were female. The mean ALPS-index was 1.4 ± 0.2. The QSM values of the caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, thalamus, red nucleus, substantia nigra, and dentate nucleus were all related to the ALPS-index (all P < 0.001).Conclusions: The main finding of the current study is that the regional brain iron deposition was related to the function of the glymphatic system.Advances in knowledge: We first evaluated the relationship between deposition of brain iron and the dysfunction of the glymphatic system.
Highlights
Iron is an electron facilitator and is involved in many brain functions, including oxygen transport, myelin production, electron transfer, and neurotransmitter synthesis (Hare et al, 2013)
We evaluated the function of the glymphatic system using the index for diffusivity along the perivascular space (ALPSindex), assessed iron deposition on quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), and analyzed their relationship
The QSM values of the caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, thalamus, red nucleus, substantia nigra, and dentate nucleus were all related to the ALPS-index
Summary
Iron is an electron facilitator and is involved in many brain functions, including oxygen transport, myelin production, electron transfer, and neurotransmitter synthesis (Hare et al, 2013). Both imaging and postmortem analyses have shown that the concentration of iron in the brain is not uniform. Numerous neurological disorders have been found to be closely related to the dysfunction of the glymphatic system, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease (Rasmussen et al, 2018; Zou et al, 2019). Evidence revealed that iron deposition was one of the most important underlying mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
