The Glymphatic System and Subarachnoid Lymphatic-Like Membrane: Recent Developments in Cerebrospinal Fluid Research

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulates throughout the ventricles, cranial and spinal subarachnoid spaces, and central spinal cord canal. CSF protects the central nervous system through mechanical cushioning, regulation of intracranial pressure, regulation of metabolic homeostasis, and provision of nutrients. Recently, investigators have characterized the glial-lymphatic (glymphatic) system, the analog of the lymphatic system in the CNS, and described a fourth meningeal layer; the subarachnoid lymphatic-like membrane relevant to the CSF.