Coupling analysis of MRI-detected impaired glymphatic system with abnormal cerebral blood flow in methamphetamine-dependent patients

Motivation: The use of non-invasive MRI research methods to explore the function of the cerebral glymphatic system in methamphetamine (MA)-dependent patients has been limited. Goal(s): Investigating the function of the glymphatic system and its coupling with cerebral blood flow (CBF) in MA-dependent individuals using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and arterial spin labeling (ASL). Approach: The diffusion coefficients of the projection and associated fiber, DTI along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index, and CBF were calculated and compared between MA-dependent and normal individuals. Results: Patients with MA dependence exhibit decreased DTI-ALPS index. A significant positive correlation has been observed between DTI-ALPS and CBF in MA-dependent individuals. Impact: DTI-ALPS showed the potential to emerge as a novel imaging biomarker for MA dependence. Furthermore, the strong coupling between the ALPS and CBF might contribute to understanding the changes of brain function in MA-dependent patients.