Evaluation of histopathologic changes in an animal model of mechanical corpus callosum impingement as seen in hydrocephalus.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

We evaluated histologic changes associated with chronic impingement of the corpus callosum. Similar callosal impingement has been postulated to be responsible for some of the symptoms in people who have hydrocephalus.

METHODS

Eight rats with callosal impingement produced by surgical implantation of a blunt blade in the interhemispheric fissure and four control animals with no callosal impingement were evaluated by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and by direct histologic evaluation after autopsy. The histologic evaluations occurred 1 month after surgery in half the animals and 6 months after surgery in the other half.

RESULTS

MR imaging results showed that the implanted blade was in a good position in all animals. Histologically, the corpus callosum appeared normal 1 month after implantation of the impingement blade. Six months after surgery, the experimental group demonstrated decreased callosal thickness and a loss of axonal fibers in the corpus callosum both near and remote to the blade.

CONCLUSION

Chronic impingement of the corpus callosum was associated with callosal thinning and by loss of callosal axons. Further research will be required to investigate the possible relation of these histologic findings to the clinical findings in normal-pressure hydrocephalus.