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Hydrocephalus Causes
The causes of hydrocephalus are not entirely clear to scientists. The condition may result from genetic inheritance (this is called aqueductal stenosis -- the narrowing of a specific pathway in the brain) or developmental disorders, such as those associated with neural tube defects like spina bifida and encephalocele.
Other possible hydrocephalus causes include:
- Complications associated with premature birth, such as intraventricular hemorrhage
- Conditions such as meningitis, tumors, or traumatic head injury
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage blocking the exit from the ventricles to the cisterns and eliminating the cisterns themselves.
Hydrocephalus research scientists continue to look for the cause or causes of hydrocephalus.
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD