AUTHOR=Fahmy Lara M. , Chen Yongsheng , Xuan Stephanie , Haacke E. Mark , Hu Jiani , Jiang Quan 

TITLE=All Central Nervous System Neuro- and Vascular-Communication Channels Are Surrounded With Cerebrospinal Fluid

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.614636

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2021.614636

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=Recent emerging evidence has highlighted the potential critical role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in cerebral waste clearance and immunomodulation. It is already very well-established that the central nervous system (CNS) is completely submerged in CSF on a macro-level; but to what extent is this true on a micro-level? Specifically, within the peri-neural and peri-vascular spaces within the CNS parenchyma. Therefore, the objective of this study was to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to simultaneously map the presence of CSF within all peri-neural (cranial and spinal nerves) and peri-vascular spaces in vivo in humans. Four MRI protocols each with 5 participants were used to image the CSF in the brain and spinal cord. Our findings indicated that all CNS neuro- and vascular-communication channels are surrounded with CSF. In other words, all peri-neural spaces surrounding the cranial and spinal nerves as well as all peri-vascular spaces surrounding MRI-visible vasculature were filled with CSF. These findings suggest that anatomically, substance exchange between the brain parenchyma and outside tissues including lymphatic ones can only occur through CSF pathways and/or vascular pathways, warranting further investigation into its implications in cerebral waste clearance and immunity.