Downregulation of cerebrospinal fluid production in patients with chronic hydrocephalus.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to determine the effect of hydrocephalus on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production rates in patients with acute and chronic hydrocephalus.


METHODS
The authors studied CSF production both in patients presenting with acute and chronic hydrocephalus, and patients with Parkinson disease (PD) of a similar mean age, whose CSF production was known to be normal. A modification of the Masserman method was used to measure CSF production through a ventricular catheter. The CSF production rates (means +/- standard deviations) in the three groups were then compared. The patients with PD had a mean CSF production rate of 0.42 +/- 0.13 ml/minute; this value lies within the normal range measured using this technique. Patients with acute hydrocephalus had a similar CSF production rate of 0.4 +/- 0.13 ml/minute, whereas patients with chronic hydrocephalus had a significantly decreased mean CSF production rate of 0.25 +/- 0.08 ml/minute.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors postulate that chronic increased intracranial pressure causes downregulation of CSF production.
Silverberg
Gerald D
GD
Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA. geralds@leland.stanford.edu
Huhn
Stephen
S
Jaffe
Richard A
RA
Chang
Steven D
SD
Saul
Thomas
T
Heit
Gary
G
Von Essen
Ann
A
Rubenstein
Edward
E
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002648:Child; D002831:Choroid Plexus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015536:Down-Regulation; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000378:metabolism*; D007427:Intracranial Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged