Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism
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J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab. · Oct 2006
Chronic hydrocephalus-induced changes in cerebral blood flow: mediation through cardiac effects.
Decreased cerebral blood flow (CBF) in hydrocephalus is believed to be related to increased intracranial pressure (ICP), vascular compression as the result of enlarged ventricles, or impaired metabolic activity. Little attention has been given to the relationship between cardiac function and systemic blood flow in chronic hydrocephalus (CH). Using an experimental model of chronic obstructive hydrocephalus developed in our laboratory, we investigated the relationship between the duration and severity of hydrocephalus and cardiac output (CO), CBF, myocardial tissue perfusion (MTP), and peripheral blood flow (PBF). ⋯ Our results suggest that CH may have more of an influence on CO and CBF in the chronic stage than in the early condition, which was dominated by surgical effect. The cause of this late deterioration of cardiac function in hydrocephalus is uncertain, but may reflect cardiac regulation secondary to physiologic response or brain injury. The relationship between cardiac function and CBF should be considered in the pathophysiology and clinical treatment of CH.