Perivascular space
Perivascular space | |
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Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy |
A perivascular space, also known as a Virchow–Robin space, is a fluid-filled space surrounding certain
Perivascular spaces vary in dimension according to the type of blood vessel. In the brain where most capillaries have an imperceptible perivascular space, select structures of the brain, such as the circumventricular organs, are notable for having large perivascular spaces surrounding highly permeable capillaries, as observed by microscopy. The median eminence, a brain structure at the base of the hypothalamus, contains capillaries with wide perivascular spaces.[3]
In humans, perivascular spaces surround arteries and veins can usually be seen as areas of
Structure
Perivascular spaces are gaps containing
Perivascular spaces surrounding
Perivascular spaces, especially around fenestrated capillaries, are found in many organs, such as the thymus, liver, kidneys, spleen, bones, and pineal gland.[9][10][11][12] Particularly within the brain circumventricular organs – subfornical organ, area postrema, and median eminence – large perivascular spaces are present around fenestrated capillaries, indicating that the spaces serve a dispersive role for brain- or bloodborne messengers.[2]
Perivascular spaces may be enlarged to a diameter of five millimeters in healthy humans and do not imply disease. When enlarged, they can disrupt the function of the brain regions into which they project.[5] Dilation can occur on one or both sides of the brain.[7]
Dilated perivascular spaces are categorized into three types:[7]
- Type 1 are located on the lenticulostriate arteries projecting into the basal ganglia
- Type 2 are located in the cortex following the path of the medullary arteries
- Type 3 are located in the midbrain
Perivascular spaces are most commonly located in the basal ganglia and white matter of the cerebrum, and along the optic tract.[13] The ideal method used to visualize perivascular spaces is
- cystic neoplasms
- lacunar infarctions
- cystic periventricular leukomalacia
- cryptococcosis
- multiple sclerosis
- mucopolysaccharidoses
- neurocysticercosis
- arachnoid cysts
- neuroepithelial cysts
Perivascular spaces are distinguished on an MRI by several key features. The spaces appear as distinct round or oval entities with a signal intensity visually equivalent to that of cerebrospinal fluid in the subarachnoid space.[7][14][15] In addition, a perivascular space has no mass effect and is located along the blood vessel around which it forms.[14]
Function
One of the most basic roles of the perivascular space is the regulation of fluid movement in the central nervous system and its drainage.[13] The spaces ultimately drain fluid from neuronal cell bodies to the cervical lymph nodes.[5] In particular, the "tide hypothesis" suggests that the cardiac contraction creates and maintains pressure waves to modulate the flow to and from the subarachnoid space and the perivascular space.[16] By acting as a sort of sponge, they are essential for signal transmission and the maintenance of extracellular fluid.[16]
Another function is as an integral part of the blood–brain barrier (BBB).[17] While the BBB is often described as the tight junctions between the endothelial cells, this is an oversimplification that neglects the intricate role that perivascular spaces take in separating the venous blood from the parenchyma of the brain. Often, cell debris and foreign particles, which are impermeable to the BBB will get through the endothelial cells, only to be phagocytosed in the perivascular spaces. This holds true for many T and B cells, as well as monocytes, giving this small fluid filled space an important immunological role.[17]
Perivascular spaces also play an important role in immunoregulation; they not only contain
Clinical significance
The clinical significance of perivascular spaces comes primarily from their tendency to dilate. The importance of dilation is hypothesized to be based on changes in shape rather than size.
Senescence
Dilation is most commonly and closely associated with aging. Dilation of perivascular spaces has been shown to correlate best with age, even when accompanying factors including hypertension, dementia, and white matter lesions are considered.[20] In the elderly, such dilation has been correlated with many symptoms and conditions that often affect the arterial walls, including vascular hypertension, arteriosclerosis, reduced cognitive capacity, dementia, and low post-mortem brain weight.[13] In addition to dilation among the elderly, dilation in young, healthy individuals can also be observed. This occurrence is rare and there has been no observed association in such cases with reduced cognitive function or white matter abnormalities.[13] When dilated VRS are observed in the corpus callosum, there is generally no neurological deficit associated. They are often observed in this region as cystic lesions with cerebrospinal-like fluid.[21]
Symptoms of dilation
Extreme dilation has been associated with several specific clinical symptoms. In cases of severe dilation in only one hemisphere, symptoms reported include a non-specific fainting attack,
Associated disorders
Dilation is a typical characteristic of several diseases and disorders. These include diseases from metabolic and genetic disorders such as
Current research
Causes of dilated VRS
Much of the current research concerning Virchow–Robin spaces relates to their known tendency to dilate. Research is presently being performed in order to determine the exact cause of dilation in these perivascular spaces. Current theories include mechanical trauma resulting from cerebrospinal fluid pulsation, elongation of ectactic penetrating blood vessels, and abnormal vascular permeability leading to increased fluid exudation. Further research has implicated shrinkage or atrophy of surrounding brain tissue, perivascular demyelination, coiling of the arteries as they age, altered permeability of the arterial wall and obstruction of lymphatic drainage pathways.[13] In addition, insufficient fluid draining and injury to ischemic perivascular tissue resulting in an ex vacuo effect have been suggested as possible causes for dilated VRS.[5]Dilated VRS might also be linked to vascular damage, blood leakage and microaneurysm formation.[22]
Association of dilated VRS and other diseases
Recent and ongoing research has found associations between enlarged VRS and several disorders.
Dementia
At one point in time, dilated Virchow–Robin spaces were so commonly noted in autopsies of persons with dementia, they were believed to cause the disease. However, additional research is currently being performed in order to confirm or refute a direct connection between dilation of VRS and dementia.[15]
Analysis of VRS may distinguish dementia caused by
Alzheimer's disease
Some studies have assessed the spatial distribution and prevalence of VRS in people with Alzheimer's disease versus those without the disease. Researchers have found that while VRS appear to be correlated with natural aging, MR imaging reveals a greater prevalence of VRS in those with Alzheimer's.[24]
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), a blood vessel failure often associated with Alzheimer's disease, utilizes dilated VRS to spread inflammation to the parenchyma. Because the VRS often have an extra membrane in gray matter, the ischemic CAA response is often observed in white matter.[25]
It has been hypothesized that the structure of VRS in the
Stroke
Because dilated perivascular spaces are so closely correlated with cerebrovascular disease, there is much current research on their use as a diagnostic tool. In a recent study of 31 subjects, abnormal dilation, along with irregular CSF pulsation, were correlated with those subjects having three or more risk factors for strokes. Therefore, perivascular spaces are a possible novel biomarker for hemorrhagic strokes.[26]
There has been a high risk of
Multiple sclerosis
Similar to the research concerning a potential connection between perivascular spaces and Alzheimer's, MRI scans of people recently diagnosed with
Autism
Dilated perivascular spaces are common among the elderly and uncommon in children. Studies have noted the association between both
History
The appearance of perivascular spaces was first noted in 1843 by Durant-Fardel.
For many years after Virchow-Robin spaces were first described, it was thought that they were in free communication with the
References
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Perivascular spaces are fluid-filled spaces that follow a typical course of a vessel penetrating/transversing the brain through gray or white matter.89
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