Is the glymphatic system the missing link between sleep impairments and neurological disorders? Examining the implications and uncertainties.

Abstract

Until recently, both the purpose of the biological need for sleep and the mechanism by which the central nervous system eliminated metabolic waste products were unknown. The glymphatic system is the recently discovered macroscopic waste clearance system for the CNS, which predominantly functions during sleep states. Important implications for the glymphatic system exist for a significant proportion of neurological disorders, including traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, stroke, migraine, and Alzheimer's disease. Within the limited amount of research pertaining to this novel system there exists controversy regarding several of the key structural and functional aspects of the glymphatic system. ..