SynthesisFrontiers in neurology
Glymphatic dysfunction across sleep disorders: a meta-analysis of DTI-ALPS studies.
Synthesis in Frontiers in neurology. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Harnessing Brain Age-Specific Effects on the Associations Between Sleep Quality, Glymphatic Function, and Cognition in Normal Ageing Adults: Insights for Gerotherapeutics.Neurology and therapy · 2026Article
- Subjective sleep disturbances are associated with reduced MRI-derived perivascular-space diffusivity in multiple sclerosis.Journal of neurology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Sleep disorders are increasingly linked to glymphatic dysfunction, but whether this impairment is universal across different sleep pathologies remains unclear. Objective: This meta-analysis examined whether glymphatic dysfunction, assessed via the diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index, may represent a shared neural feature across a spectrum of sleep disorders. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from inception to December 31, 2025, for observational studies comparing DTI-ALPS index between patients with sleep disorders and healthy controls. Data were synthesized from 19 studies (n = 2,315) using a random-effects model to calculate standardized mean differences (SMDs). Methodological quality was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Subgroup analyses, meta-regression, sensitivity analyses, and publication bias assessment were performed. Results: The pooled analysis revealed significant global glymphatic impairment in patients with sleep disorders (SMD = -1.60, 95% CI [-2.65, -0.54], Conclusion: Glymphatic dysfunction, as assessed by DTI-ALPS, is consistently observed across several sleep disorders, suggesting a potential shared pathway. However, extreme heterogeneity limits interpretability of the pooled effect, and cross-sectional data preclude causal inference.
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Registered trials
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