brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Normal–Pressure Hydrocephalus
Introduction
Normal-pressure hydrocephalus consists of difficulty walking, urinary incontinence, and dementia due to an increase in the fluid that normally surrounds the brain. Usually, the main symptoms of normal-pressure hydrocephalus are general unsteadiness and loss of balance, and the feet may seem to stick to the floor. Dementia may not develop until late in the disorder. Doctors usually do magnetic resonance imaging to check for excess fluid around the brain and do a spinal tap or place a temporary drain into the spinal cord to remove any excess fluid. Placing a piece of plastic tubing (a shunt) in the brain to drain the excess fluid may significantly lessen some symptoms, but it may benefit mental function less. (See also Overview of Delirium and Dementia and Normally, the fluid that surrounds the brain and protects it from injury (cerebrospinal fluid) is continuously produced in the spaces within the brain (ventricles), circulates in and around the brain, and is reabsorbed. Normal-pressure hydrocephalus is thought to occur when this fluid is not reabsorbed normally, causing it to accumulate. The amount of fluid in the ventricles increases and the brain is then pushed outward. Normal-pressure hydrocephalus is classified as one of the following: Secondary: When it is caused by another disorder (such as a Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH) , Idiopathic: When no cause can be identified 