Experimental Spinal Stenosis in Cats: New Insight in Mechanisms of Hydrocephalus Development |
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| Authors: | Marijan Klarica Tomislav Jukić Branko Miše Nenad Kudelić Milan Radoš Darko Orešković |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Pharmacology and Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb Croatia ; 2. Department of Ophthalmology, Clinical Hospital Center Zagreb, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb ; 3. University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases ; 4. Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine University of Zagreb ; 5. Department of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute |
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| Abstract: | In our new experimental model of cervical stenosis without inflammation we have tested hypothesis that cranio‐spinal communication impairment could lead to hydrocephalus development. Spinal and cranial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space separation was obtained with positioning of plastic semiring in epidural space at C2 level in cats. Brain ventricles planimetry, and CSF pressure recording in lateral ventricle (LV) and lumbar subarachnoid space (LSS) were performed in acute and subchronic experiments. In all experiments opening CSF pressures were normal. However, in acute experiments, an infusion of artificial CSF into the LV led to increase of CSF pressure and significant gradient pressure development between LV and LSS due to limited pressure transmission. After 3 or 6 weeks spinal cord atrophy was observed at the site of cervical stenosis, and pressure transmission from LV to LSS was improved as a consequence of spinal tissue atrophy. Planimetry of both the coronal brain slices and the ventricles’ surface showed that control ventricular surface was 0.6 ± 0.1% (n = 5), and 1.6 ± 0.2% (n = 4) in animals with subchronic cervical stenosis (P < 0.002). These results support the mentioned hypothesis claiming that CSF volume cranio‐spinal displacement impairment could start pathophysiological processes leading to development of hydrocephalus. |
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| Keywords: | cerebrospinal fluid cerebrospinal fluid pressure cervical stenosis hydrocephalus hypothesis of cerebrospinal fluid physiology |
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