Research Progress on Enlarged Perivascular Spaces as a Biomarker for Cerebrovascular Disease and Cognitive Decline
Abstract：Enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) are fluid-filled spaces surrounding cerebral blood vessels, and their pathological expansion is closely related to cerebrovascular diseases such as small vessel disease (SVD), cognitive impairment, and neurodegenerative diseases [1]. In recent years, EPVS has attracted widespread attention as a potential biomarker, especially with the advancement of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, which has significantly improved the accuracy of its detection and quantitative analysis, providing new insights for disease diagnosis and prognosis assessment. High-resolution MRI not only reveals the spatial distribution characteristics of EPVS in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease but also suggests its association with dysfunction of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow. In addition, by combining multimodal imaging techniques with automated analysis tools, EPVS research is gradually shifting from morphological description to mechanism exploration and clinical application. However, the specific pathophysiological mechanisms of EPVS, such as the interaction between neuroinflammation and CSF circulation, still need further clarification. This review systematically summarizes the pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical relevance, and imaging technology advancements of EPVS, and proposes future research directions to promote the transformation of EPVS from a biomarker to a therapeutic target.
Keywords：Neuroglial Lymphatic SystemCerebrovascular DisordersCognitive Impairment
Publication Date：2025-06-15
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：3( 830-832 )