What Are the Causes of Fluid in the Brain?
The brain and spinal cord are always surrounded by a clear fluid, known as cerebral spinal fluid, or CSF. CSF plays three important roles. It transports nutrients to cells and carries away wastes, much like blood. It cushions the brain against blows. And it serves as a barrier, preventing certain chemicals in the blood from reaching brain cells. Sometimes, however, a patient can have too much CSF in all or part of the brain—a condition doctors call hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a medical emergency. It puts pressure on brain tissues, which can damage or destroy cells in all parts of the brain, triggering a huge range of neurological symptoms. Left untreated, it can be fatal. But it is a treatable condition. The National Institutes of Health reports that “some people recover almost completely after treatment and have a good quality of life.” There are several known causes of hydrocephalus, though in some cases, the cause is still unknown.
