Animal imaging study reveals cerebrospinal fluid drains predominantly via lymphatic routes and declines with age in mice, suggesting therapeutic targets for neurological conditions.
Key Points
To characterize the anatomical pathways and dynamics of cerebrospinal fluid outflow and determine how this drainage changes during aging.
Infused molecular tracers into the lateral ventricles of lymphatic-reporter mice.
Used high-resolution stereomicroscopy and noninvasive quantitative imaging to track tracer transport into blood and lymph nodes via perineural routes through skull foramina in young and aged mice.
Tracers spread into paravascular spaces of the pia mater and cortex, rapidly exiting through skull foramina along perineural routes to reach lymph nodes.
Lymphatic vessels served as the primary clearance pathway for both large and small molecular tracers, surpassing traditional dural venous sinus routes.
Cerebrospinal fluid outflow through the lymphatic network declined significantly in aged mice compared to young mice.