由罗彻斯特大学、布朗大学和哥本哈根大学的研究人员组成的团队利用人工智能分析核磁共振成像数据，首次精确测量了大脑胶淋巴系统中废物清除流体的流动速度，发现这一系统存在两种明显不同的清除机制[1]。研究表明，脑表面附近的流体流动速度为每秒几微米，而深层脑组织内的流体流动速度约为表面速度的五十分之一[1]。这项研究已发表于《Science Advances》2026年第12卷第22期[1]。
Douglas Kelley教授指出："我们希望能够测量人脑中水样流体的流动...检查是否存在循环不良，或更早期地筛查，以试图阻止阿尔茨海默病"[1]。研究人员认为，通过测量胶淋巴系统的流体流动特征，未来可能检测到阿尔茨海默病、脑损伤等神经退行性疾病的早期迹象[1]。胶淋巴系统是大脑的主要废物清除系统，于2012年由Maiken Nedergaard首次提出[1]。该研究得到了美国国立卫生研究院国家补充与整合卫生中心和NIH BRAIN倡议的支持[1]。
Researchers from the University of Rochester, Brown University, and the University of Copenhagen have identified distinct fluid flow rates within the brain's glymphatic system, revealing a dual mechanism for clearing metabolic waste [1]. Using artificial intelligence to analyze MRI data, the team found that fluid near the brain's surface moves at a speed of several micrometers per second, while fluid in deeper brain tissue flows approximately 50 times slower [1].
The discovery builds on the 2012 identification of the glymphatic system by Maiken Nedergaard [1]. According to Douglas Kelley, a professor involved in the research, "We hope to be able to measure the flow of water-like fluid in the human brain...to check if there is poor circulation, or screen earlier in an attempt to stop Alzheimer's disease" [1]. The findings, published in Science Advances Volume 12, Issue 22 in 2026, suggest that early detection of abnormal fluid circulation could aid in identifying early signs of neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and brain injury [1]. The research was supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health of the NIH and the NIH BRAIN Initiative [1].