• 1D modelling
• cerebrospinal fluid
• computational fluid dynamics
• dispersion
• neurodegenerative diseases
• perivascular space
• validation

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) represent a growing concern in healthcare. NDs are characterized by the accumulation of neurotoxic proteins, causing a decline in brain function. The clearance of these proteins through the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is promising, particularly through the perivascular space (PVS), a narrow channel between the blood vessel and the surrounding brain tissue. The pulsation of the blood vessel is thought to be the main driver of the CSF flow, leading to enhanced transport through dispersion.
To examine transport within the PVS, 2D and 3D computational models are used, but they are computationally too expensive to simulate transport in a network of PVS. The main objective of this thesis was to validate a 1D numerical model. The validation, against 2D simulations, was done in a parameter space meant to replicate the physiological conditions in mice. The analysis allowed us to determine the enhancement capabilities of dispersion and evaluate the error between the 1D and 2D models. The impact of different parameters, such as the length and thickness of the domain and the amplitude of the oscillations, on the error was assessed showing a good agreement between the two models. The normalized RMSE never exceeded 10%. The 1D model was also tested for a network of PVS, as a possible application, confirming the enhancement potential of transport through dispersion.