Hydrocephalus Causes & Risk Factors

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• QWhat causes normal pressure hydrocephalus?

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  A Dr. Irene A. Semenov, DO , Neurology, answered on behalf of NorthShore University HealthSystem

  Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a form of hydrocephalus without an increase in the intracranial pressure. Hydrocephalus means that the spinal fluid containing ventricles inside the brain are enlarged. This condition presents with symptoms of urinary incontinence, abnormal gait, falls and dementia. About one third of cases are due to head trauma, intracranial bleeding or CNS infections, which lead to impaired cerebral-spinal fluid (CSF) absorption inside the brain. The remainder of the causes is still unknown.
• QWhy does congenital hydrocephalus run in families?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Yes, it appears that congenital hydrocephalus can run in families. It is thought that congenital hydrocephalus can be caused by genetic defects that can be passed from one or both parents to a child, but the direct links to hereditary disorders are still being investigated. However, experts have found a connection between a rare genetic disorder called L1 syndrome and hydrocephalus. L1 syndrome is the result of mutated gene. It can cause a condition known as aqueductal stenosis, which involves an obstruction of the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is a fluid that is necessary for the normal functioning of the brain and spinal cord. This obstruction of the CSF can cause hydrocephalus. Researchers estimate that L1 syndrome occurs in 1 in 25,000 to 60,000 males and rarely occurs in females.

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• QWhich children are most at risk for hydrocephalus?

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  A Dr. Aria Fallah, MD , Neurosurgery, answered on behalf of UCLA Health

  The most common causes of pediatric hydrocephalus in children in the United States are brain bleeds as a result of prematurity, spina bifida, brain tumors, infection and head injury. Acquired hydrocephalus is caused by head injury or an obstruction in the brain, such as a tumor.
• QWhat causes hydrocephalus?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Hydrocephalus is caused by the interrupted flow and subsequent accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid is the complex liquid that feeds and surrounds the brain, nourishing it, cushioning it, and keeping it healthy.

  This fluid moves through your brain through pathways called ventricles. When the cerebrospinal fluid fails to be properly absorbed or becomes built up in a ventricle due to obstruction, hydrocephalus occurs.

  The reason for the excess fluid can be attributed to something that happened before birth or it may be a result of a condition that occurred after birth. Genetic abnormalities, birth defects or an infection in the womb can cause disorders that affect the spinal chord and brain leading to hydrocephalus in infants. Tumors, head injury and certain infections in the cerebrospinal fluid can cause bring a form of hydrocephalus, known as normal pressure hydrocephalus, in young children. Adults and the elderly may also suffer a form of hydrocephalus known as normal pressure hydrocephalus, which may be caused by illness or injury.

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• QCan I develop hydrocephalus as an adult?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Adults can develop hydrocephalus, however it is not as common as being affected by it as a child. When hydrocephalus comes on later in life it is known as normal pressure hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus in adults is usually brought on by injury, brain bleeds, head surgery, and infections of the nervous system.

• QHow does meningitis affect hydrocephalus?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Meningitis can be a cause of hydrocephalus. It may also develop as a complication after a shunt has been placed to treat hydrocephalus. When you are affected with meningitis, the bacterial infection can cause swelling of the tissue of the brain. The swelling can obstruct the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. When the flow of fluid is blocked, it accumulates in one area, which puts a large amount of pressure on the brain. That can lead to brain damage. Immediate treatment of the meningitis with antibiotics can reduce the inflammation caused by the infection and possibly relieve the blocked fluid before your brain tissue is injured.

• QWhat causes congenital hydrocephalus?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Experts are still working on pinpointing all the causes of congenital hydrocephalus. It is thought to be caused by genetic abnormalities, which are inherited from one or both parents, and by problems that occur when a fetus is still in the womb. Problems with fetal development known as neural tube defects can contribute to congenital hydrocephalus. Neural tube defects affect the brain, the spinal cord, and the tissue that surrounds the spinal cord.

• QWhat increases my child's risk for congenital hydrocephalus?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Genetic abnormalities and problems with the fetal development of your child while still in the womb may increase your child's risk for congenital hydrocephalus. Genetic defects inherited from one or both parents can affect how cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is a fluid that is necessary for the normal functioning of the brain and spinal cord, flows through the baby's brain. For example, a condition called aqueductal stenosis, which involves an obstruction of the flow of CSF, can be caused by a genetic defect and can play a role in hydrocephalus. Infections in the uterus and problems with fetal development known as neural tube defects are also thought to contribute to congenital hydrocephalus. Neural tube defects affect the brain, the spinal cord, and the tissue that surrounds the spinal cord. Spina bifida (a malformed spinal cord) and encephalocele (protruding brain tissue) are examples of neural tube defects that could increase the risk of hydrocephalus.

• QWhat causes acquired hydrocephalus?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Congenital hydrocephalus, one type of hydrocephalus, is present a birth. However, acquired hydrocephalus refers to hydrocephalus that develops any time after birth. It can be caused by head trauma from an accident or conditions such as tumors, cysts, infection, meningitis, hemorrhage, and stroke.

• QDoes acquired hydrocephalus affect older people?

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  A Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered

  Acquired hydrocephalus can occur at any age. It can be caused by head trauma or preexisting conditions such as stroke. Older adults develop a type of acquired hydrocephalus called normal pressure hydrocephalus. Symptoms include loss of bladder control, or urinary incontinence; problems with walking and balance; and mental sluggishness. If you know an older adult with these symptoms, help them get to a doctor for a thorough physical and neurological exam. Left untreated, this condition is life-threatening.