Visualization and Assessment of Cerebral Vasculature, Cerebrospinal Fluids, and the Brain Parenchyma in Dementia and Aging

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Background

Failure to clear Amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau proteins is increasingly recognized in the pathogenesis of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recent studies have found that the meningeal lymphatic pathways are closely related to Aβ and tau clearance, though their involvement in the pathogenesis of dementia in humans is yet to be fully understood. The meningeal lymphatic system hypothesis is a concept describing the interaction between neurofluids and brain parenchyma in the central nervous system (CNS). Neurofluids are defined as a collective term for the fluids in which the CNS is immersed, such as the blood, cerebrospinal fluids (CSF), and interstitial fluid (ISF). The glymphatic system is a brain-wide paravascular pathway, formed by astroglial cells, for CSF and ISF exchange that promotes the efficient clearance of soluble proteins and waste from the brain. Recent studies have shown that aquaporin 4 water channel (AQP4) is a critical part of the brain glymphatic system, and lack of AQP4 leads to impaired water transport in the meningeal lymphatic system, which in turn reduces the clearance of AD-associated proteins amyloid-β and tau. This remains a controversial topic, as it is unclear whether impaired clearance of these proteins is a phenotypic contributor or a pathologic consequence. Therefore, imaging and assessment of the cerebral vasculature, neurofluids and their interactions with brain parenchyma could benefit in reaching an early diagnosis of dementia.

Currently, MRI methods which can image blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain parenchyma in a less invasive or non-invasive manner, are preferable for human studies. On the other hand, photoacoustic imaging or microvascular ultrasound imaging is capable of acquiring capillary-scale resolution in deep-brain positions at a much higher temporal resolution. In this Research Topic, we welcome Original Research articles that utilize advanced imaging tools to study the roles of cerebral vasculature, neurofluids and their interactions with brain parenchyma in dementia and aging. Imaging approaches, with or without contrast agents/tracers, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), photoacoustic imaging and microvascular ultrasound imaging are within the scope of consideration. Additionally, the call is also open for more theoretical approaches in the form of Review, Perspective, and Opinion articles on promising future approaches for research on cerebral vasculature, neurofluids, and their interaction with the brain parenchyma in dementia and aging.

In particular, we welcome contributions on the following subtopics:

• Utilizing multi-modal imaging to provide etiological insights into dementia and aging brain from the perspective of molecular, structural, and functional readouts in vivo.

• Advanced imaging techniques, including but not limited to MRI, photoacoustic imaging and microvascular ultrasound imaging for assessing the cerebral vasculature, neurofluids and their interactions with brain parenchyma in dementia or aging.

• Molecular mechanisms underlying the altered glymphatic function visualized by in vivo imaging techniques.

• Review and Perspective articles that discuss up-to-date advances and perspectives of different imaging techniques for assessing the cerebral vasculature, neurofluids and their interactions with brain parenchyma in dementia or aging.

Keywords: dementia, aging, cerebral vasculature, cerebrospinal fluids, brain parenchyma, imaging methods

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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