The pathogenesis of pseudotumor cerebri--a mathematical analysis.

Although the clinical and laboratory features of pseudotumor cerebri have been clearly delineated, the pathogenesis of idiopathic pseudotumor remains a mystery. A number of pathogenetic mechanisms have been proposed to account for some or all of the observed cases. We describe a model relating changes in CSF outflow resistance and/or dural sinus venous pressure to observed changes in (i) CSF pressure, (ii) cerebral blood volume and (iii) the volume and hydrodynamic flow resistance of the ventriculosubarachnoid space.