Disturbances of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation--neuropsychiatric symptoms and neuroradiological contribution.

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.