A comparison of the brain weights of normal, untreated hydrocephalic and treated hydrocephalic rat pups.

The dry brain weights of normal, untreated and treated hydrocephalic pups of Texas, Lewis and Texas/Lewis cross rats aged from 2 to 60 days were compared using the technique of generalised linear modelling. It was found that with increasing age there is a steadily progressive increase in the weight of the brains of the normal animals. The brains of the untreated hydrocephalics showed a normal increase in weight up to about the 25th day but after that whilst the weight continued to increase, it was significantly less than normal. On the other hand the weight gain of the brains of the treated hydrocephalic pups resembled that of the normals and steadily increase in weight throughout the period of observation.