Effects of intracranial hypertension on Glymphatic pathway

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K09458
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56010:Neurosurgery-related
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: Oka Fumiaki 山口大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (20420531)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: glymphatic pathway / intracranial pressure

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we studied the effects of intracranial pressure on glymphatic pathway. We manipulated ICP by an artificial cerebrospinal fluid reservoir connected to the cisterna magna in anesthetized mice. Glymphatic pathway consists of three stages: uptake, diffusion, and efflux from the cerebrospinal fluid cavity into the brain parenchyma. The function of each stage was studied using tracers labeled with fluorescent dyes. The results showed that all three stages were impaired when brain pressure was increased to 50 mmHg compared to normal pressure, suggesting that the dysfunction of the glymphatic pathway is one of the mechanisms of brain damage caused by increased brain pressure.

Free Research Field

脳神経外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回我々は、脳圧の過剰な上昇が招く脳神経障害の新たな機序を発見した。脳圧上昇は頭部外傷、脳卒中に限らず脳腫瘍や感染症、水頭症など脳疾患の多岐に渡り合併しうる病態である。さらに最近は特発生頭蓋内圧亢進症という原因不明の頭蓋内圧上昇により失明などをきたす疾患が報告され注目されている。今回の我々の発見は、それらの疾患の病態を明らかにするだけでなく、今後の新たな患者管理や治療方法の開発につながる大きな一歩である。