Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus results from the gradual blockage of the CSF-draining pathways in the brain. The ventricles enlarge to handle the increased volume of CSF, thus compressing the brain from within and eventually damaging or destroying the brain tissue. NPH owes its name to the fact that the ventricles inside the brain become enlarged with little or no increase in pressure. However, the name can be misleading, as some patients' CSF pressure does fluctuate from high to normal to low when monitored.

NPH can occur as the result of head injury, cranial surgery, hemorrhage, meningitis or tumor. Unfortunately, the cause of the majority of NPH cases is unknown, making it difficult to diagnose and understand. Compounding this difficulty is the fact that some of the symptoms of NPH are similar to the effects of the aging process, as well as diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The majority of the NPH population is older than 60, and many of these people believe their symptoms are just part of the aging process. Unfortunately, many cases go unrecognized, are never properly treated or are misdiagnosed

To learn more about Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, visit AANS.org

Information sourced from https://www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Ad...

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