Impaired brain waste-removal network linked to chronic fatigue syndrome. Australian scientists uncovered signs that individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) experience reduced efficiency in the brain’s glymphatic pathway – a recently identified network that removes metabolic debris and toxins, mainly during sleep. Using a non-invasive MRI method to gauge glymphatic performance, the team compared scans from 31 ME/CFS patients against those of 27 healthy controls. Participants with the condition displayed diminished clearance activity, most notably within the right hemisphere. Greater impairment of this cleaning mechanism correlated with more pronounced sleep disturbances and intensified cognitive difficulties often described as brain fog. Experts regard the glymphatic system as vital for eliminating cerebral waste. When its operation falters, toxic substances may accumulate and promote inflammation along with neurological complaints. These observations offer a possible account for the intense exhaustion, mental clouding, and non-restorative rest that characterize ME/CFS. The investigators emphasize that the work remains small-scale and preliminary, so it cannot establish that glymphatic failure is the root cause of the syndrome. Still, the results may eventually support improved diagnostic approaches and therapeutic strategies for an illness that has historically lacked a clear biological foundation. [Thapaliya, K., Marshall-Gradisnik, S., Inderyas, M., & Barnden, L. (2026). Disrupted glymphatic function and its relationship with sleep and cognitive impairment in ME/CFS assessed via DTI-ALPS. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 20, 1875420. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2026.1875420]