The causes of hydrocephalus are not entirely clear to scientists. Hydrocephalus may result from genetic inheritance (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
Other possible causes of hydrocephalus include:
Complications of 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.