Assessment of Brain Glymphatic Function in Neurosyphilis Patients Using DTI-ALPS

Motivation: Explore glymphatic function changes in neurosyphilis using DTI-ALPS. Goal(s): Evaluate whether DTI-ALPS can reflect neurosyphilis-related neural damage and serve as an imaging biomarker to predict cognitive functions. Approach: DTI data were collected from 18 asymptomatic neurosyphilis patients, 28 with general dementia, and 32 healthy controls. Glymphatic function changes were analyzed, along with correlations with syphilis titers and resting-state BOLD-CSF coupling. Results: DTI-ALPS predicted cognitive levels, with asymptomatic patients showing higher index, suggesting a protective role. Correlations with syphilis titers indicate potential as an imaging biomarker. The negative correlation with BOLD-CSF coupling supports its validity in reflecting glymphatic function. Impact: After Treponema pallidum infection, the brain glymphatic system plays an important role in early pathogen clearance. DTI-ALPS can serve as an imaging biomarker to reflect syphilis-induced damage to the brain glymphatic system.