This week we hosted Dr. Stéphanie Lenck. She is a neurointerventionalist at Groupe hospitalier Pitié Salpêtrière and a researcher at the Paris Brain Institute where she focuses her work on IdiopathicThe term idiopathic is used when there is no detectable reason for something. Click the term to read more Intracranial Hypertension (IIH), cerebral venous and lymphatic physiology, and vascular malformations.
Her incredible and sophisticated research has helped rediscover the glymphatic system of the brain and how it plays a role in the pathophysiology in IIH.
Some of the key points of her lecture are:
- The brain does in fact have a lymphatic system where it is hypothesized that cerebrospinal fluidFluid that is made by specialized cells in the ventricles of the brain. Click the term to read more (CSFFluid that is made by specialized cells in the ventricles of the brain. Click the term to read more) drains through the arachnoid granulations into the lymphatic system.
- Several radiological studies indicate that IIH is associated with an increase in CSF in the perivascular spaces of the brain and in the subarachnoid space, suggesting a congestion of the glymphatic system.
- IIH can be summarized in the following pathological triad:
-
- Congestion of the glymphatic system
- Overflow of the lymphatic CSF
- Restriction of the venous CSF outflow pathway
- With the above findings, venous sinus stenosis can break this cycle and alleviate symptoms associated with IIH.
If you would like to take a deep dive in learning about the glymphatic system and how it impacts IIH, you can watch her 1-hour webinar here.
If you are interested in reading her publications in detail where you will learn about her and her team’s hypothesis, protocols, and systematic approach in their studies, here is a short list of Dr. Lenck’s most recent publications of the glymphatic system and IIH:
- 3D-imaging reveals conserved cerebrospinal fluid drainage via meningeal lymphatic vasculature in mice and humans
- Conserved meningeal lymphatic drainage circuits in mice and humans
- Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension: Glymphedema of the Brain
- Idiopathic intracranial hypertension: The veno glymphatic connections
We look forward to keeping updated with Dr. Lenck and her continued research on IIH and will update our website as this information is published.
We will be hosting our next live webinar on Monday, June 12th with Dr. Sofia Cienfuegos. She has a PhD in Human Nutrition and will be speaking on the Impact of weight bias and stigma on patients with obesity and Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. All providers, patients, and family members are invited to attend.
