Dilated Virchow-Robin Space and Cognitive Impairment in People With Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review.
- 1Men's Health and Reproductive Health Research Center Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran sbmu.ac.ir.
- 2Faculty of Medicine Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran sbmu.ac.ir.
- 3Faculty of Medicine Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Isfahan Iran mui.ac.ir.
Abstract
Virchow-Robin space (VRS) is characterized by small cavitary or cystic structures in the brain that represent morphological markers of altered interstitial fluid dynamics within the perivascular (glymphatic) pathway, originating from small vessels in the subarachnoid space and penetrating the brain. Their dilation has been associated with altered clinical status in Parkinson's disease (PD). The present study aims to review the reported relations between dilated VRS (dVRS) and cognitive impairment in patients with PD. A total of 71 articles were identified through database searching, and after reviewing based on the eligibility criteria, 16 studies were selected. Across the directly relevant PD studies, dVRS burden was associated with lower scores on some cognitive tests in some, but not all, cohorts; several studies reported null or only indirect associations. The most commonly used assessment tool was Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery (SNSB), and Parkinson Neuropsychometric Dementia Assessment (PANDA) were also used across the included studies. Overall, the presence of the dVRS in basal ganglia in patients with PD was frequently associated with the vascular risk factors, and the resulting mechanical mass effect (local compression and displacement of adjacent neural structures by the dilated, fluid-filled spaces), impaired waste clearance, and vascular impact have been proposed as pathways potentially relating dVRS to cognitive status in these patients. Cognitive decline in the case of basal ganglia dVRS is shown to be associated with crossing inferior fronto-occipital and inferior longitudinal fasciculus fibers.
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BibTeX
@article{salari2026dilated,
title = {{Dilated Virchow-Robin Space and Cognitive Impairment in People With Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review.}},
author = {Mehri Salari and Maryam Mirabedini and Kamran Rezaei and Masoud Etemadifar},
journal = {Radiology research and practice},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1155/rrp/6959099},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42999477},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Dilated Virchow-Robin Space and Cognitive Impairment in People With Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review.
AU - Mehri Salari
AU - Maryam Mirabedini
AU - Kamran Rezaei
AU - Masoud Etemadifar
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/06
JO - Radiology research and practice
DO - 10.1155/rrp/6959099
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42999477
AB - Virchow-Robin space (VRS) is characterized by small cavitary or cystic structures in the brain that represent morphological markers of altered interstitial fluid dynamics within the perivascular (glymphatic) pathway, originating from small vessels in the subarachnoid space and penetrating the brain. Their dilation has been associated with altered clinical status in Parkinson's disease (PD). The present study aims to review the reported relations between dilated VRS (dVRS) and cognitive impairment in patients with PD. A total of 71 articles were identified through database searching, and after reviewing based on the eligibility criteria, 16 studies were selected. Across the directly relevant PD studies, dVRS burden was associated with lower scores on some cognitive tests in some, but not all, cohorts; several studies reported null or only indirect associations. The most commonly used assessment tool was Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery (SNSB), and Parkinson Neuropsychometric Dementia Assessment (PANDA) were also used across the included studies. Overall, the presence of the dVRS in basal ganglia in patients with PD was frequently associated with the vascular risk factors, and the resulting mechanical mass effect (local compression and displacement of adjacent neural structures by the dilated, fluid-filled spaces), impaired waste clearance, and vascular impact have been proposed as pathways potentially relating dVRS to cognitive status in these patients. Cognitive decline in the case of basal ganglia dVRS is shown to be associated with crossing inferior fronto-occipital and inferior longitudinal fasciculus fibers.
SN - 2090-1941
SN - 2090-195X
ER -