Glymphatic System Dysfunction in Elderly Patients with Late-Onset Epilepsy and Comorbid Chronic Insomnia Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Imaging Along the Perivascular Space (DTI-ALPS)

Yu Wang,1,2,* Jie Hu,2,3,* Yue-Yu Zhang,2,3 Fu-Yu Wang,4 Jun-Cang Wu,2 Long Wang2 1Graduate School of Wan Nan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, 241002, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Neurology, The Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, Anhui, 230011, People’s Repu...

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Main Authors: Wang Y, Hu J, Zhang YY, Wang FY, Wu JC, Wang L
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2025-08-01
Series:Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
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Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/glymphatic-system-dysfunction-in-elderly-patients-with-late-onset-epil-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT
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author Wang Y
Hu J
Zhang YY
Wang FY
Wu JC
Wang L
author_facet Wang Y
Hu J
Zhang YY
Wang FY
Wu JC
Wang L
author_sort Wang Y
collection DOAJ
description Yu Wang,1,2,* Jie Hu,2,3,* Yue-Yu Zhang,2,3 Fu-Yu Wang,4 Jun-Cang Wu,2 Long Wang2 1Graduate School of Wan Nan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, 241002, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Neurology, The Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, Anhui, 230011, People’s Republic of China; 3The Fifth Clinical Medical College of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Pharmacy, The Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, Anhui, 230011, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Long Wang, Department of Neurology, The Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, Anhui, 230011, People’s Republic of China, Email guxindao606@126.comPurpose: This study assessed the influence of glymphatic system (GS) dysfunction on cognitive decline in patients with late-onset epilepsy (LOE) and comorbid chronic insomnia utilizing diffusion tensor imaging along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS).Methods: Clinical data were collected from 42 elderly LOE patients, 17 with and 25 without chronic insomnia, as well as from 22 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age and sex. Simoa assays were performed to quantify Aβ 42 and Aβ 40 as plasma biomarkers of age-related neuropathology, and associations between the DTI-ALPS index and age, seizure frequency and duration, Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD), Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAMA), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Aβ 42:Aβ 40 ratio (Aβ 42/40) were assessed using Spearman correlation tests and multivariate logistic regression models.Results: Both DTI-ALPS index and Aβ 42/40 were significantly lower among LOE patients compared to HCs, and post-hoc analysis revealed even lower Aβ 42/40 and DTI-ALPS index values among LOE patients with comorbid chronic insomnia compared to HCs and LOE patients without chronic insomnia. The DTI-ALPS index was negatively correlated with age, disease duration, PSQI score, and HAMA score, and positively correlated with Aβ 42/40 and MMSE score among LOE patients according to Spearman’s tests. Multivariate linear regression revealed independent associations of the DTI-ALPS index with age, MMSE score, Aβ 42/40, and PSQI after adjusting for vascular risk factors, sex, and education.Conclusion: These results suggest that the GS is dysfunctional in LOE and may exacerbate sleep disruption and cognitive impairments.Keywords: glymphatic system, late-onset epilepsy, chronic insomnia, cognitive function, DTI-ALPS
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spelling doaj-art-1b377264781042b6bead1924b8faa08a2025-08-20T03:44:01ZengDove Medical PressNeuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment1178-20212025-08-01Volume 21Issue 115891598105404Glymphatic System Dysfunction in Elderly Patients with Late-Onset Epilepsy and Comorbid Chronic Insomnia Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Imaging Along the Perivascular Space (DTI-ALPS)Wang Y0Hu JZhang YYWang FY1Wu JC2Wang L3Department of NeurologypharmacyNeurologyDepartment of NeurologyYu Wang,1,2,* Jie Hu,2,3,* Yue-Yu Zhang,2,3 Fu-Yu Wang,4 Jun-Cang Wu,2 Long Wang2 1Graduate School of Wan Nan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, 241002, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Neurology, The Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, Anhui, 230011, People’s Republic of China; 3The Fifth Clinical Medical College of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Pharmacy, The Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, Anhui, 230011, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Long Wang, Department of Neurology, The Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, Anhui, 230011, People’s Republic of China, Email guxindao606@126.comPurpose: This study assessed the influence of glymphatic system (GS) dysfunction on cognitive decline in patients with late-onset epilepsy (LOE) and comorbid chronic insomnia utilizing diffusion tensor imaging along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS).Methods: Clinical data were collected from 42 elderly LOE patients, 17 with and 25 without chronic insomnia, as well as from 22 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age and sex. Simoa assays were performed to quantify Aβ 42 and Aβ 40 as plasma biomarkers of age-related neuropathology, and associations between the DTI-ALPS index and age, seizure frequency and duration, Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD), Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAMA), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Aβ 42:Aβ 40 ratio (Aβ 42/40) were assessed using Spearman correlation tests and multivariate logistic regression models.Results: Both DTI-ALPS index and Aβ 42/40 were significantly lower among LOE patients compared to HCs, and post-hoc analysis revealed even lower Aβ 42/40 and DTI-ALPS index values among LOE patients with comorbid chronic insomnia compared to HCs and LOE patients without chronic insomnia. The DTI-ALPS index was negatively correlated with age, disease duration, PSQI score, and HAMA score, and positively correlated with Aβ 42/40 and MMSE score among LOE patients according to Spearman’s tests. Multivariate linear regression revealed independent associations of the DTI-ALPS index with age, MMSE score, Aβ 42/40, and PSQI after adjusting for vascular risk factors, sex, and education.Conclusion: These results suggest that the GS is dysfunctional in LOE and may exacerbate sleep disruption and cognitive impairments.Keywords: glymphatic system, late-onset epilepsy, chronic insomnia, cognitive function, DTI-ALPShttps://www.dovepress.com/glymphatic-system-dysfunction-in-elderly-patients-with-late-onset-epil-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDTglymphatic systemlate-onset epilepsychronic insomniacognitive functionDTI-ALPS
spellingShingle Wang Y
Hu J
Zhang YY
Wang FY
Wu JC
Wang L
Glymphatic System Dysfunction in Elderly Patients with Late-Onset Epilepsy and Comorbid Chronic Insomnia Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Imaging Along the Perivascular Space (DTI-ALPS)
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
glymphatic system
late-onset epilepsy
chronic insomnia
cognitive function
DTI-ALPS
title Glymphatic System Dysfunction in Elderly Patients with Late-Onset Epilepsy and Comorbid Chronic Insomnia Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Imaging Along the Perivascular Space (DTI-ALPS)
title_full Glymphatic System Dysfunction in Elderly Patients with Late-Onset Epilepsy and Comorbid Chronic Insomnia Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Imaging Along the Perivascular Space (DTI-ALPS)
title_fullStr Glymphatic System Dysfunction in Elderly Patients with Late-Onset Epilepsy and Comorbid Chronic Insomnia Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Imaging Along the Perivascular Space (DTI-ALPS)
title_full_unstemmed Glymphatic System Dysfunction in Elderly Patients with Late-Onset Epilepsy and Comorbid Chronic Insomnia Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Imaging Along the Perivascular Space (DTI-ALPS)
title_short Glymphatic System Dysfunction in Elderly Patients with Late-Onset Epilepsy and Comorbid Chronic Insomnia Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Imaging Along the Perivascular Space (DTI-ALPS)
title_sort glymphatic system dysfunction in elderly patients with late onset epilepsy and comorbid chronic insomnia revealed by diffusion tensor imaging along the perivascular space dti alps
topic glymphatic system
late-onset epilepsy
chronic insomnia
cognitive function
DTI-ALPS
url https://www.dovepress.com/glymphatic-system-dysfunction-in-elderly-patients-with-late-onset-epil-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT
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