Hydrocephalus

Meaning “water on (or in) the brain”, this word refers to an anatomical state in which there is an abnormally large volume of cerebrospinal fluidThis clear, water-like fluid forms, for the most part, within the brain, more specifically inside the ventricles of the brain. Blood flows through structures inside the ventricles, called the choroid plexuses, and clear fluid is produced as a result, passing into the ventricle. This process is akin to blood flowing through the kidneys and urine being produced as a result. An important difference is that, unlike urine, the cerebrospinal fluid is not passed out of the body periodically. Instead, the fluid is re-absorbed back into the blood stream, mostly via the arachnoid granulations, into the cerebral venous sinuses. In the course of a 24-hour period, most healthy adults will produce about 500mls (or a pint) of cerebrospinal fluid, although at... within the head. Most often this excess fluid accumulates within the ventriclesThe brain is not an entirely solid organ. There are chambers within the brain, referred to as ventricles or, more correctly, cerebral ventricles, to distinguish them from the ventricles of the heart. They represent the remnants of the central canal of the developing central nervous system, although they have taken on a much more complex shape than the original embryonic structure. There are four in total, one each side of the midline (referred to as the lateral ventricles) and two more, in the midline, referred to as the third and fourth ventricles, albeit often using Roman numerals. of the brain and the word ventriculomegalySee hydrocephalus. may be used synonymously. Some authorities teach that the word ventriculomegalySee hydrocephalus. simply describes large ventriclesThe brain is not an entirely solid organ. There are chambers within the brain, referred to as ventricles or, more correctly, cerebral ventricles, to distinguish them from the ventricles of the heart. They represent the remnants of the central canal of the developing central nervous system, although they have taken on a much more complex shape than the original embryonic structure. There are four in total, one each side of the midline (referred to as the lateral ventricles) and two more, in the midline, referred to as the third and fourth ventricles, albeit often using Roman numerals. and that the word hydrocephalus should be reserved to indicate that the enlarged ventriclesThe brain is not an entirely solid organ. There are chambers within the brain, referred to as ventricles or, more correctly, cerebral ventricles, to distinguish them from the ventricles of the heart. They represent the remnants of the central canal of the developing central nervous system, although they have taken on a much more complex shape than the original embryonic structure. There are four in total, one each side of the midline (referred to as the lateral ventricles) and two more, in the midline, referred to as the third and fourth ventricles, albeit often using Roman numerals. are generating symptoms. Cerebrospinal fluidThis clear, water-like fluid forms, for the most part, within the brain, more specifically inside the ventricles of the brain. Blood flows through structures inside the ventricles, called the choroid plexuses, and clear fluid is produced as a result, passing into the ventricle. This process is akin to blood flowing through the kidneys and urine being produced as a result. An important difference is that, unlike urine, the cerebrospinal fluid is not passed out of the body periodically. Instead, the fluid is re-absorbed back into the blood stream, mostly via the arachnoid granulations, into the cerebral venous sinuses. In the course of a 24-hour period, most healthy adults will produce about 500mls (or a pint) of cerebrospinal fluid, although at... may also accumulate over the surface of the brain but inside the duraThis is the outer, most prominent and the toughest of the three different membranes that invest the brain and spinal cord. It also forms the lining of the cranial cavity and the spinal canal. Looked at as a whole, the dura can be envisaged as a balloon with a long sausage skin hanging below it. Within the dura the brain and spinal cord are bathed in cerebrospinal fluid., in which case the term “external hydrocephalus” is sometimes used. Read more