Lymphatic and Glymphatic Alterations in Auditory Disorders: A Rapid Review-Informed Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

and Objectives : The inner ear has traditionally been regarded as an immunoprivileged and anatomically isolated organ. However, growing interest in neuro-lymphatic interactions has raised the hypothesis that glymphatic and lymphatic mechanisms may contribute to auditory pathology and its association with cognitive dysfunction....

No actionable clinical change — this is a mechanistic systematic review establishing a scientific framework; translational evidence is insufficient to guide current clinical decisions about diagnosis or treatment of auditory disorders.

If glymphatic and lymphatic dysfunction contribute to conditions like Ménière's disease or age-related hearing loss, this opens entirely new therapeutic targets and reframes the inner ear's biology in ways that could transform future treatment strategies.

1. 01Systematic review and meta-analysis found evidence of lymphatic and glymphatic alterations in auditory disorders.
2. 02Challenges the classical view that the inner ear is entirely immunologically privileged (isolated from immune activity).
3. 03Glymphatic dysfunction may contribute to endolymphatic fluid imbalance seen in conditions like Ménière's disease.
4. 04Results suggest neuro-lymphatic interactions are relevant to inner-ear pathology.
5. 05Findings are primarily mechanistic; direct clinical applications remain to be established.

PMID

42195131

DOI

10.3390/medicina62050878.

Journal

Medicina

Publication type

meta_analysis

Evidence level

1a

Population

Patients and/or animal/in-vitro models with auditory disorders included in primary studies within the systematic review

Intervention

Presence and extent of lymphatic and glymphatic system alterations in auditory disorders

Comparator

Normal/control lymphatic and glymphatic function