Anatomy

Cerebral Spinal Fluid

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Cerebral Spinal Fluid, CSF

  • See Also
  1. Cerebral Ventricle
  2. Increased Intracranial Pressure
  3. Intracranial Pressure Elevation Causes
  4. Cerebrospinal Fluid Examination
  5. Lumbar Puncture
  6. Increased Intracranial Pressure in Trauma
  7. Hydrocephalus
  8. Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt
  • Definitions
  1. Cerebrospinal Fluid
    1. Clear, colorless fluid produced in the Choroid plexus within the walls of the Cerebral Ventricles
      1. CSF typically contains no white or Red Blood Cells (WBCs or RBCs) and low levels of Protein
      2. CSF is produced in the Choroid plexus of fluid filled chambers known as ventricles
    2. Flows through the Cerebral Ventricles within the subarachnoid space
    3. Surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord
  • Physiology
  1. See Cerebral Ventricle
  2. Choroid Plexus: Formation of CSF
    1. Tufts of capillaries in Lateral Ventricles
    2. Produces CSF at 20 ml/hour (0.2 to 0.7 ml/kg/hour, up to 500 ml/day)
  3. Pathway
    1. See Cerebral Ventricle for Cerebrospinal Flow
    2. CSF flows down Magendie and Luschka canals and via subarachnoid space around the brain and spinal cord
  4. CSF Reabsorption
    1. CSF reabsorption at the arachnoid villi and dural sinuses
    2. Drains into the internal Jugular Veins
  5. CSF Volume
    1. Total CSF in circulation: 140 ml
    2. Distribution
      1. Ventricles: 25 ml
      2. Subarachnoid space: 115 ml
  6. Total brain volume is held constant (Monro-Kellie Hypothesis)
    1. Three components are in balance (maintain a total adult volume of 1450-1700 ml)
      1. Brain volume 1300-1400 ml
      2. Blood 110-150 ml
      3. Cerebrospinal Fluid 65-150 ml
    2. When brain fails to maintain balanced volume( e.g. blood in Intracranial Hemorrhage)
      1. Intracranial Pressure increases
      2. Cerebral perfusion decreases
  • References
  1. Gilman (1989) Manter and Gatz Essentials of Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology, Davis, p. 232-7
  2. Goldberg (2014) Clinical Neuroanatomy, p. 6-15