Pathophysiology of periventricular tissue changes with raised CSF pressure in cats

Intraventricular pressure (IVP) is increased in the early stages of acute hydrocephalus. Pressure falls, however, when compensatory routes for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) absorption develop. In order to better understand the pathophysiology of acute hydrocephalus, the authors performed ventriculocisternal perfusions on adult cats with outflow pressures maintained at either -5, 20, or 40 cm H2O. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was determined by the iodoantipyrine method. Penetration of an extracellular marker, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), was visualized histologically. Capillary transfer of radiolabeled molecules from CSF to blood was measured by steady-state tissue clearance. Increased IVP had several effects: 1) significant reduction in mean CBF in the periventricular white matter; 2) penetration of the HRP into deep white matter; and 3) prolongation of steady-state tissue clearance half-time for (14C)-ethylene glycol in the caudate nucleus. Reduced blood flow to periventricular white matter and impaired molecular clearance in the caudate nucleus may contribute to the clinical symptoms in acute hydrocephalus.