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• Review •
Research progress of abnormal gBOLD-CSF coupling in brain glymphatic system related central nervous system diseases
SU Jing  WANG Yi  AN Ningning  YANG Longfei  SU Qi  ZHANG Yutong  ZHANG Qing 

DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.01.022.


[Abstract] The glymphatic system (GS) is a waste clearance pathway in the brain, and its impaired function is closely associated with various central nervous system diseases. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) studies have revealed that low-frequency (< 0.1 Hz) global blood oxygen level-dependent (gBOLD) signals are coupled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics, a phenomenon that is related to GS function and provides a new direction for uncovering brain glymphatic dysfunction. This review summarizes the key aspects of the GS, the principles of gBOLD-CSF coupling, and its applications in central nervous system diseases. It aims to synthesize research on GS functional changes in a range of central nervous system disorders, and to clarify the value and prospects of abnormal gBOLD-CSF coupling for assessing disease severity and evaluating treatment efficacy. Meanwhile, this review identifies the limitations of current research and proposes directions for future studies.
[Keywords] central nervous system diseases；glymphatic system；cerebrospinal fluid；global resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging signal；magnetic resonance imaging

SU Jing   WANG Yi   AN Ningning   YANG Longfei   SU Qi   ZHANG Yutong   ZHANG Qing*  

Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Dalian University, Dalian 116001, China

Corresponding author: ZHANG Q, E-mail: zhangqingsmile@163.com

Conflicts of interest   None.

Received  2025-10-28
Accepted  2025-12-10
DOI: 10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.01.022
DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.01.022.

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