Region-specific drivers of CSF mobility measured with MRI in humans
Many neurological diseases are characterized by the accumulation of toxic proteins in the brain. This accumulation has been associated with improper clearance from the parenchyma. Recent discoveries highlighted perivascular spaces, which are cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-filled spaces, as the channels of brain clearance. The forces driving CSF mobility within perivascular spaces are still debated. Here we present a noninvasive, CSF-specific magnetic resonance imaging technique (CSF-Selective T<sub>2</sub>-prepared REadout with Acceleration and Mobility-encoding) that enables detailed in vivo measurement of CSF mobility in humans, down to the level of perivascular spaces located around penetrating vessels, which is close to protein production sites. We find region-specific drivers of CSF mobility and demonstrate that CSF mobility can be increased by entraining vasomotion. Furthermore, we find region-specific CSF mobility alterations in patients with cerebral amyloid angiopathy, a brain disorder associated with clearance impairment. The availability of this technique opens up avenues to investigate the impact of CSF-mediated clearance in neurodegeneration and sleep.
Authors
- Susanne J. van Veluw (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7957-8643)
- Mark A. van Buchem (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1881-1998)
- Léonie Petitclerc (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9127-2201)
- Gabor C. Petzold (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0145-8641)
- Wietske van der Zwaag (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3223-9721)
- Thijs W. van Harten (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3408-9379)
- Philipp Ehses (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5839-6525)
- Philipp Kickingereder (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6224-0064)
- Katerina Deike‐Hofmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4319-0428)
- Andreas Decker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6018-3666)
- Tony Stoecker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8946-9141)
- Matthias J.P. van Osch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7034-8959)
- Eberhard Pracht (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4883-9709)
- Matthan W.A. Caan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5162-8880)
- Bram F. Coolen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3946-653X)
- Alexander Effland (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5936-048X)
- Julia Nordsiek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5904-5316)
- Lydiane Hirschler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2379-0861)
- Alexander Radbruch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6238-6525)
- Daniel Paech (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5755-6833)
- Bobby A. Runderkamp (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5491-5379)
- Paul Scheyhing
- Marianne A. A. van Walderveen
Institutions
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NL)
- University of Bonn (DE)
- Harvard University (US)
- German Cancer Research Center (DE)
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- University Hospital Bonn (DE)
- Leiden University Medical Center (NL)
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DE)
- Massachusetts General Hospital (US)
- Amsterdam Neuroscience (NL)
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (US)
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging (NL)
- University of Amsterdam (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Neuroscience
- Published
- 2025-10-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-025-02073-3
- Citations
- 9
- Primary Topic
- Cerebrospinal fluid and hydrocephalus
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 8.18
Funders
- Amsterdam University Medical Centers
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Fondation Leducq
- Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
- Alzheimer Nederland