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.
