Cerebrospinal Fluid & Hydrocephalus

Cerebrospinal Fluid & Hydrocephalus

Cerebrospinal Fluid

Human brain is one of the most sensitive parts of the human body. It contains delicate tissues and cells that need proper protection system to ensure the proper functioning of the brain. The tissues of the brain and central nervous system require cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to float in the skull. The cerebrospinal fluid not only provides protection and safety to the delicate brain of human beings but it also provides cushioning effect to the spinal cord that comes under the central nervous system of the human beings. The spinal cord and brain of the human beings are surrounded by the cerebrospinal fluid. The brain floats in the CSF because of the same amount of density of the brain and the CSF which allows it to float easily in the liquid CSF environment (Sherwood, 2008).

The central functioning of CSF if to provide protection from shocks occurred by any accidental condition or injury which is likely to cause damage to the delicate part of the body that is the brain and spinal cord. The skull provides a protective covering to the brain and incase of any shock, the CSF is responsible for absorbing the shock. It helps the brain from bumping conditioning which could be harmful for the delicacy of the brain. The CSF acts as a shock absorbing dense liquid fluid hat prevents the brain inside the hard bony skull covering when the body confronts with the sudden or deliberate movement or injury (Sherwood, 2008).

Flow of CSF

The cerebrospinal fluid is produced in between the layers of the spaces of the ventricles of the brain. The CSF is created inside the brain and flows through the path of interconnected ventricles found in the brain. There are four correlated ventricles in the brain of the human beings that allows the flow of CSF into the central nervous system. The CSF flows from the brain's ventricles to the narrow central canal of the spinal cord. The central narrow canal of the spinal cord exists in continuation with the last ventricle of the brain (Irani, 2008).

The cerebrospinal fluid passes through the tiny openings present in the last layer of the ventricles and enters into the bottom space of the brain. It then enters into the subarachnoid space of the brain and passes through the fine marginal layers that are present in the surface of the spinal cord and the brain of human beings. The cerebrospinal fluid also passes into the upper layers of the brain where it is reabsorbed into the venous blood from the subarachnoid space of the brain. This action and functioning of the cerebrospinal fluid takes place through the presence of arachnoids villi. The rate at which the CSF is produced within the linings of the space of brain is measured to be around 20 milliliters to 25 milliliters per hour. The CSF moves around inside the brain in a proper manner of flow and then the brain passes it back to the ...