Hydrocephalus
Key points
- Hydrocephalus is an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain, leading to their enlargement and swelling.
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is formed in a region of the brain known as the choroid plexus.
- The symptoms vary depending on the amount of damage caused by pressure in the brain.
- When a physician taps fingertips on the skull, there may be abnormal sounds associated with thinning and separation of skull bones.
Alternative names
Water on the brain
Definition
Hydrocephalus is an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain, leading to their enlargement and swelling.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is formed in a region of the brain known as the choroid plexus. CSF usually circulates through channels of the brain known as ventricles, as well as flowing around the outside of the brain and through the spinal canal.
When the circulation or absorption of this fluid is blocked, or excessive fluid is produced, the volume of fluid in the brain becomes higher than normal. The accumulation of fluid puts pressure on the brain, forcing it against the skull and damaging or destroying the tissues.
The symptoms vary depending on the cause of the obstruction, the person's age when the problem develops, and the extent of brain tissue damage caused by the swelling.
In infants, fluid accumulates in the central nervous system, causing the fontanelle (soft spot) to bulge and the head to expand. An infant's head can enlarge because the bony plates that make up the skull have not yet fused together. However, once the skull bones are completely fused together, at about age 5, the skull will no longer expand.
In small children, hydrocephalus may be associated with infections acquired before birth, injury occurring during the birth process, congenital defects, tumors of the central nervous system, infections that affect the central nervous system (such as meningitis or encephalitis ), and trauma before or after birth (including subarachnoid hemorrhage). Myelomeningocele, a disorder involving incomplete closure of the spinal column, is strongly associated with hydrocephalus.
In older children, risks include a history of congenital or developmental defects, space-occupying lesions or tumors of the brain or spinal cord, central nervous system infections, bleeding anywhere in the brain, and trauma.
Hydrocephalus most often occurs in children, but may also occur in adults and the elderly.
See normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).
Symptoms
EARLY SYMPTOMS IN INFANTS
- Enlarged head (increased head circumference)
- Bulging fontanelles (soft spots of the head) with or without enlargement of the head size
- Separated sutures
- Vomiting
Symptoms OF CONTINUED HYDROCEPHALUS
Frequently asked questions
What is hydrocephalus?
Hydrocephalus is an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain, leading to their enlargement and swelling.
What are the risk factors for hydrocephalus?
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is formed in a region of the brain known as the choroid plexus. CSF usually circulates through channels of the brain known as ventricles, as well as flowing around the outside of the brain and through the spinal canal. When the circulation or absorption of this fluid is blocked, or excessive fluid is produced, the volume of fluid in the brain becomes higher than normal. The accumulation of fluid puts pressure on the brain, forcing it against the skull and damaging or destroying the tissues. The symptoms vary depending on the cause of the obstruction, the person's age when the problem develops, and the extent of brain tissue damage caused by the swelling.
What are the symptoms of hydrocephalus?
EARLY SYMPTOMS IN INFANTS
- Enlarged head (increased head circumference)
- Bulging fontanelles (soft spots of the head) with or without enlargement of the head size
- Separated sutures
- Vomiting Symptoms OF CONTINUED HYDROCEPHALUS
- Irritability, poor temper control
- Muscle spasticity (spasm) LATE SYMPTOMS
- Decreased mental function
- Delayed development
- Slow or restricted movement
- Difficulty feeding
- Lethargy, excessive sleepiness
- Urinary incontinence (loss of control over bladder)
Written and revised by
Andrey Nailor, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
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