Summary
The present study aimed at relating dementia, pseudo-neurasthenic and affective organic brain syndromes to underlying type of CSF flow disorder and to subsequent alteration of anatomy. T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the midsagittal plane permitted an analysis of aqueductal CSF flow phenomena and hydrocephalus-induced elevation, thinning and dorsal impingement of the corpus callosum. Furthermore, the width of the third ventricle was measured on the transverse scout images. 72 patients with communicating hydrocephalus (increased aqueductal CSF pulsations) and 26 patients with aqueductal stenosis (absence of aqueductal flow phenomena) were compared with 22 controls. Dementia and affective disorders were distributed equally among both CSF flow subgroups whereas pseudo-neurasthenic syndromes were observed more frequently in non-communicating hydrocephalus (p < 0.03). Alzheimer-type and multiinfarct dementia syndromes were found more frequently in communicating hydrocephalus whereas non-classifiable dementia showed some predilection for non-communicating hydrocephalus. Callosal height, area and third ventricular width did not predict affective or pseudoneurasthenic disorder whereas third ventricular width (p < 0.01) and callosal area (p < 0.05) discriminated between demented and non-demented patients. Dorsal impingement of the corpus callosum by the falx was a non-specific finding.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams RD, Fisher CM, Hakim S, Ojemann RG, Sweet WH (1965) Symptomatic occult hydrocephalus with “normal” cerebrospinal-fluid pressure. N Engl J Med 273: 117–126
Adler L, Räder K, Kolenda H (1992) “Endogeniforme” affektive Psychosen und Nor-maldruckhydrozephalus. Psychiat Prax 19: 154–156
Benson DF, LeMay M, Patten DH, Rubens AB (1979) Diagnosis of normal-pressure hydrocephalus. N Engl J Med 283: 609–615
Bowen M, Verma A, Bajwa S, Kusmirek L (1990) Pseudopsychopathic syndrome in hydrocephalus: a case report and review. Neurosurgery 26: 661–663
Bradley WG (1992) Magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid flow abnormalities. Magn Reson Quart 8: 169–196
Bradley WG, Whittemore AR, Watanabe AS, Davis SJ, Teresi LM, Homyak M (1991) Association of deep white matter infarction with chronic communicating hydrocephalus: implications regarding the possible origin of normal-pressure hydrocephalus. AJNR 12: 31–39
Braak H, Braak E (1991) Alzheimer's disease affects limbic nuclei of the thalamus. Acta Neuropathol 81: 261–268
Brinkmann SD, Sarwar M, Levin HS, Morris HH (1981) Quantitative indexes of computed tomography in dementia and normal aging. Radiology 138: 89–92
Creasy H, Schwartz M, Fredrickson H, Haxby JV, Rapoport SJ (1986) Quantitative computed tomography in dementia of the Alzheimer type. Neurology 36: 1563–1568
Crowell RM, Tew JM, Mark VH (1973) Aggressive dementia associated with normal pressure hydrocephalus. Neurology 23: 461–464
Dauch WA, Zimmermann R (1990) Der Normaldruck-Hydrozephalus. Eine Bilanz 25 Jahre nach der Erstbeschreibung. Fortschr Neurol Psychiat 58: 178–190
DeLeon MJ, Ferris SH, George AE, Reisberg B, Kricheff II, Gershon S (1980) Computed tomography evaluations of brain-behavior relationships in senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. Neurobiol Aging 1: 69–79
DeMol J (1978) Troubles psychiques au cours d'hydrocephalie normotensive. Acta Neurol Belg 78: 321–340
Dewan MJ, Bick PA (1985) Normal pressure hydrocephalus and psychiatrie patients. Biol Psychiatry 20: 1127–1131
Förstl H, Sahakian B (1993) Thalamic radiodensity and cognitive performance in mild and moderate dementia of the Alzheimer type. J Psychiatry Neurosci 18: 33–37
Greitz D (1993) Cerebrospinal fluid circulation and associated intracranial dynamics. Thesis, Stockholm
Hoffmann O (1989) PC-Statistik. Heinz Heise, Hannover
Hofmann E, Becker T, Jackel M, Metzner D, Schneider M, Meixensberger J, Reichmann H (1994) The corpus callosum in communicating and non-communicating hydrocephalus: morphological and clinical findings. Neuroradiology (in press)
Jinkins JR (1991) Clinical manifestations of hydrocephalus caused by impingement of the corpus callosum on the falx: an MR study in 40 patients. AJNR 12: 331–340
Kohlmeyer K, Shamena AR (1983) CT assessment of CSF spaces in the brain in demented and non-demented patients over 60 years of age. AJNR 4: 706–707
Kwentus JA, Hart RP (1987) Normal pressure hydrocephalus presenting as mania. J Nerv Ment Dis 175: 500–502
Larsson A, Wikkelsö C, Bilting M, Stephensen H (1991) Clinical parameters in 74 consecutive patients shunt operated for normal pressure hydrocephalus. Acta Neurol Scand 84: 475–482
Lindqvist G, Andersson H, Bilting M, Blomstrand C, Malmgren H, Wikkelsö C (1993) Normal pressure hydrocephalus: psychiatric findings before and after shunt operation classified in a new diagnostic system for organic psychiatry. Acta Psychiatr Scand 88: 18–32
Luxenberg JS, Haxby JV, Creasy H, Sundaram M, Rapoport SI (1987) Rate of ventricular enlargement in dementia of the Alzheimer type correlates with rate of neuropsychological deterioration. Neurology 37: 1135–1140
Lying-Tunell U (1979) Psychotic symptoms in normal-pressure hydrocephalus. Acta Psychiatr Scand 59: 415–419
Masters JC, O'Grady M (1992) Normal pressure hydrocephalus. A potentially reversible form of dementia. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv 30: 25–28
Meese W, Kluge W, Gramme T, Hopfenmüller W (1980) CT evaluation of the CSF spaces of healthy persons. Neuroradiology 19: 131–136
Miller-Fisher C (1977) The clinical picture in occult hydrocephalus. Clin Neurosurg 24: 270–284
Motohashi N, Ishizuka Y, Asada T, Shiraishi K, Fukuzawa H (1990) A case of aqueduct stenosis in adults with various neurological and psychiatric symptoms. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 240: 13–15
Nichtweiß M, Heetderks G, Rosenthal D (1988) Zur Diagnose des sogenannten Normal-druckhydrozephalus. Nervenarzt 59: 267–273
Nolte J (1988) The human brain, 2nd ed. Mosby, St. Louis Washington Toronto, pp 231–258 and 366–389
Oxenstierna G, Bergstrand G, Bjerkenstedt L, Sedvall G, Wik G (1984) Evidence of disturbed CSF circulation and brain atrophy in cases of schizophrenic psychosis. Br J Psychiatry 144: 654–661
Peter K (1979) Zum Problem der „hydrozephalen Psychopathie”. Schweiz Arch Neurochir Psychiat 124: 89–101
Price TRP, Tucker GJ (1977) Psychiatric and behavioral manifestations of normal pressure hydrocephalus. J Nerv Ment Dis 164: 51–55
Pujol J, Leal S, Fluvia X, Conde C (1989) Psychiatric aspects of normal-pressure hydrocephalus. A report of five cases. Br J Psychiatry 154 [Suppl 4]: 77–80
Reveley AM, Reveley MA (1983) Aqueduct stenosis and schizophrenia. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 40: 521–532
Rice E, Gendelman S (1973) Psychiatric aspects of normal pressure hydrocephalus. JAMA 223: 407–412
Roberts JKA, Trimble MR, Robertson M (1983) Schizophrenic psychosis associated with aqueduct stenosis in adults. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 46: 892–898
Rosen H, Swigar ME (1976) Depression and normal pressure hydrocephalus. J Nerv Ment Dis 163: 35–40
Schmidt R (1992) Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging in Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and normal aging. Eur Neurol 32: 164–169
Skjödt T, Anker-Moller E, Svendsen J, Jacobsen EB (1986) CT-Untersuchungen von Hirnatrophie — Wert verschiedener Untersuchungsmethoden. Röntgenblätter 39: 275–279
Upadhyaya AK, Sud PD (1988) Psychiatric presentation of third ventricular colloid cyst. A case report. Br J Psychiatry 152: 567–569
Vanneste J, Hyman R (1986) Non-tumoural aqueduct stenosis and normal pressure hydrocephalus. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 49: 529–535
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hofmann, E., Becker, T., Meixensberger, J. et al. Disturbances of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation—neuropsychiatrie symptoms and neuroradiological contribution. J. Neural Transmission 99, 79–88 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01271471
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01271471