Glymphatic Dysfunction Correlate with Spatial Navigation Deficits in Subjective Cognitive Decline: Insights from 5.0T MRI

Motivation: The relationship between glymphatic function, spatial navigation, and plasma biomarkers in individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) remains unclear. Goal(s): To assess the relationship between glymphatic function, spatial navigation abilities, and plasma biomarkers in SCD using diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) analysis along the perivascular space (ALPS) on 5.0 TMRI. Approach: 62 SCD patients and 62 controls underwent DTI data acquisition on a 5.0T MR scanner, spatial navigation tests, and Simoa plasma biomarker analyses. Results: SCD patients had significantly lower ALPS indices and higher navigation errors compared to controls. Aβ42 and ALPS demonstrate strong predictive performance for allocentric navigation and delayed allocentric navigation. Impact: Our study is the first successful attempt in DTI-ALPS on 5T MRI datasets. The study found impaired glymphatic function in SCD may underlie early spatial navigation deficits, indicating a preclinical stage of AD.