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Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Modeling Posthemorrhagic Hydrocephalus of Prematurity in Rats
Published on: March 28, 2025
Pathophysiology of parkinsonism due to hydrocephalus
B A Racette1, G J Esper, J Antenor
1Department of Neurology and Neurological Surgery (Neurology), Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave, Box 8111, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. racetteb@neuro.wustl.edu
Abstract:
We report a patient with hydrocephalus who developed levodopa responsive parkinsonism and severe bradyphrenia associated with shunt malfunction and revision. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed periaqueductal edema involving medial substantia nigra. [18F]dopa positron emission tomography demonstrated reduced uptake in the caudate and putamen with relative sparing of the posterior putamen. Hydrocephalus associated with shunt malfunction can cause a distinct parkinsonian syndrome with greater dysfunction of projections from the medial substantia nigra to anterior striatum than in idiopathic Parkinson's disease.
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