Motivation: Cognitive impairment in dialysis patients may be linked to decreased neurovascular coupling (NVC) and glymphatic system dysfunction. However, their relationship remains unclear. Goal(s): To investigate the interactions between NVC and glymphatic system function in dialysis patients compared to healthy controls. Approach: We assessed neurovascular coupling using the ALFF-CBF coupling coefficient and evaluated glymphatic system function through the DTI-ALPS index in 56 peritoneal dialysis patients, 54 hemodialysis patients, and 52 healthy controls. Results: Dialysis patients exhibited reduced NVC and glymphatic function. However, a significant correlation between neurovascular decoupling and glymphatic dysfunction was consistently observed in dialysis groups. Impact: This research highlights critical interactions between neurovascular coupling and glymphatic system function, providing insights that could inform therapeutic strategies for cognitive impairment in dialysis patients.
Yang et al. (Tue,) studied this question.