Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026

3D Modeling of the Lateral Ventricles and Histological Characterization of Periventricular Tissue in Humans and Mouse
Published on: May 19, 2015
Age-related variations in peak cerebrospinal fluid velocities in the foramen magnum
Bermans J Iskandar1, Victor Haughton
1Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison 53792, USA. iskandar@neurosurg.wisc.edu
Object:
Measurements of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) velocities in the foramen magnum are used to determine the functional significance of Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I). Significantly higher peak velocities are found in adult patients with CM-I than in adult control participants. In addition, it appears that higher CSF velocities are found in pediatric patients with CM-I than in adult patients. Variations in CSF velocities across age groups in healthy individuals, however, have not been systematically studied.
Methods:
Phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 10 pediatric patients after induction of anesthesia to evaluate conditions thought not to affect CSF flow in the foramen magnum. The peak systolic and diastolic velocities were plotted with respect to age and compared with velocities obtained in a group of 10 healthy adult volunteers. Differences between the adult and pediatric groups were tested for significance by using the Student t-test. Peak velocities ranged from 1.9 to 19.9 cm/second in the pediatric group and from 1.2 to 4.5 cm/second in the adults. A trend line fitted to the data showed a decrease in velocity with age in the first two decades of life, and little change thereafter. Differences in the pediatric and adult groups were significant at a level of 0.05.
Conclusions:
Peak CSF velocities vary significantly with age. To determine the normalcy of a CSF flow measurement, it must be compared with age-appropriate normative data.
More Related Videos
06:22In Vivo Imaging of Cerebrospinal Fluid Transport through the Intact Mouse Skull using Fluorescence Macroscopy
Published on: July 29, 2019
08:55Translaminar Autonomous System Model for the Modulation of Intraocular and Intracranial Pressure in Human Donor Posterior Segments
Published on: April 24, 2020
Related Concept Videos
Anatomy of the Brain: Ventricles
Cerebrospinal Fluid
CSF Production
CSF is produced mainly in the choroid plexus, a network of capillaries and ependymal cells located within the ventricular system of the brain.
Increased Intracranial Pressure l: Introduction
Increased Intracranial Pressure ll: Pathophysiology
Cerebral Edema l: Introduction
Cerebral Edema ll: Pathophysiology