{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T21:26:39Z","timestamp":1790803599595,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,19]],"date-time":"2025-06-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1750291200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"La Sagesse University","award":["NA"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NA"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: One of the major contributors to homeostasis at the level of the central nervous system, specifically the brain, is the glymphatic system, which is described as an exchange occurring at the level of and between the interstitial fluid and cerebrospinal fluid that has been linked to neurodegenerative processes. Methods: Fourteen studies were included after PROSPERO registration and a literature search. Screening, reviewing, and data extraction were performed by two reviewers. Quality assessment scales were used. General continuous and subgroup analysis, heterogeneity tests, and random effect models were run using SPSS. Forest plots were constructed based on subgroup analysis. Results: Significant correlations (p &lt; 0.05) were detected between MRI indices and outcomes quantifying neurodegenerative diseases. Studies on Alzheimer\u2019s disease showed a positive correlation between diffusivity indices and cognitive scores. Studies on Parkinson\u2019s disease showed negative correlations between diffusivity indices and disease severity, progression, and motor function (p &lt; 0.05). As for other conditions, the conclusions remain uncertain, yet positive results were detected (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: Positive significant correlations were deduced between the ALPS index and cognitive scores, indicating that low cognition is correlated with a low ALPS index and enlarged PVSs. Negative significant correlations were deduced between ALPS indices and UPDRS scores, indicating motor dysfunction is correlated with lower ALPS indices and enlarged PVSs. Finally, MRI parameters may help to deduce disease progression across subgroups. Despite the presence of heterogeneity between studies, significant correlations with moderate to large effect sizes were detected. Glymphatic dysfunction measured through MRI indices is correlated with neurodegenerative changes across various neurological conditions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14124387","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,20]],"date-time":"2025-06-20T03:05:27Z","timestamp":1750388727000},"page":"4387","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Visualization of the Glymphatic System Through Brain Magnetic Resonance in Human Subjects with Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-0823-8821","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jana","family":"Hamzeh","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut P.O. Box 6573\/14, Lebanon"},{"name":"Department of Physical Therapy, Antonine University (UA), Baabda P.O. Box 40016, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hayat","family":"Harati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut P.O. Box 6573\/14, Lebanon"},{"name":"Research and Innovation Department, Muscat University, Muscat 550, Oman"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6659-285X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Farah","family":"Ayoubi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institut Universitaire de Kin\u00e9sith\u00e9rapie (IUK), Universit\u00e9 Paris-Est Cr\u00e9teil Val de Marne\u2014Universit\u00e9 Paris 12, 94000 Paris, France"},{"name":"Laboratoire de la Motricit\u00e9, Handicap et R\u00e9\u00e9ducation (MOHAR), Lebanese University, Beirut P.O. Box 6573\/14, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marie-belle","family":"Saab","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut P.O. Box 6573\/14, Lebanon"},{"name":"Faculty of Pedagogy, Lebanese University, Furn-El-Chebbak, Beirut P.O. Box 6573\/14, Lebanon"},{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, Sagesse University, Furn El Chebbak, Baabda P.O. Box 50501, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lea","family":"Saab","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, Sagesse University, Furn El Chebbak, Baabda P.O. Box 50501, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elie","family":"Al Ahmar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, Sagesse University, Furn El Chebbak, Baabda P.O. Box 50501, Lebanon"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8830-556X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elias","family":"Estephan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroscience Research Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut P.O. Box 6573\/14, Lebanon"},{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, Sagesse University, Furn El Chebbak, Baabda P.O. Box 50501, Lebanon"},{"name":"LBN, University Montpellier, 34193 Montpellier, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"147ra111","DOI":"10.1126\/scitranslmed.3003748","article-title":"A paravascular pathway facilitates CSF flow through the brain parenchyma and the clearance of interstitial solutes, including amyloid \u03b2","volume":"4","author":"Iliff","year":"2012","journal-title":"Sci. Transl. 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