Effect of head position on cerebrospinal fluid pressure in cats: comparison with artificial model

• Published in: Croatian medical journal 2006-04, Vol.47 (2), p.233-238
• Main Authors: Klarica, Marijan, Rados, Milan, Draganic, Pero, Erceg, Gorislav, Oreskovic, Darko, Maraković, Jurica, Bulat, Marin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Basic Science; Cats; Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure - physiology; Female; Head; Models, Neurological; Models, Structural; Posture - physiology
• ISSN: 0353-9504; 1332-8166

To demonstrate that changes in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure in the cranial cavity and spinal canal after head elevation from the horizontal level occur primarily due to the biophysical characteristics of the CSF system, ie, distensibility of the spinal dura. Experiments in vivo were performed on cats and a new artificial model of the CSF system with dimensions similar to the CSF system in cats, consisting of non-distensible cranial and distensible spinal part. Measurements of the CSF pressure in the cranial and spinal spaces were performed in chloralose-anesthetized cats (n = 10) in the horizontal position on the base of a stereotaxic apparatus (reference zero point) and in the position in which the head was elevated to 5 cm and 10 cm above that horizontal position. Changes in the CSF pressure in the cranial and spinal part of the model were measured in the cranial part positioned in the same way as the head in cats (n = 5). When the cat was in the horizontal position, the values of the CSF pressure in the cranial (11.9 +/- 1.1 cm H2O) and spinal (11.8 +/- 0.6 cm H2O) space were not significantly different. When the head was elevated 5 cm or 10 cm above the reference zero point, the CSF pressure in the cranium significantly decreased to 7.7 +/- 0.6 cm H2O and 4.7 +/- 0.7 cm H2O, respectively, while the CSF pressure in the spinal space significantly increased to 13.8 +/- 0.7 cm H2O and 18.5 +/- 1.6 cm H2O, respectively (P