Abstract
The effect of changes in brain blood flow on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume flow rates, and that of changes in CSF volume flow rates on brain blood flow were determined in both normal and kaolin-induced hydrocephalic cats. In both groups of cats, blood flow in grey and white matter, cerebral cortex, and choroid plexus was measured with 105Ru microspheres during normocapnia, and again with 141Ce microspheres after arterial Pco2 was either increased by 300% or decreased by 50%. Blood flow measurements were also made during perfusion of the ventricular system with mock CSF and repeated during perfusion with anisosmotic mannitol solutions to alter CSF volume flow rate. In 30 normal and 26 hydrocephalic cats, blood flow to the cerebral cortex, white matter, and choroid plexus was similar; only blood flow to the caudate nucleus was greater in normal cats. The weight of the choroid plexus from hydrocephalic cats decreased by 17%. Blood flow in the choroid plexus of all cats decreased by almost 50% following hypercapnia or hypocapnia, without a change in the CSF volume flow rate. There was no change in cerebral or choroidal blood flow when CSF volume flow rate was either increased by 170% or decreased by 80%. These results suggest that choroid plexus blood flow does not limit or affect the volume flow rate of CSF from the choroid plexus. CSF volume flow rate can be altered without corresponding blood flow changes of the brain or choroid plexus. Choroid plexus blood flow and the reactivity of both brain and choroidal blood flow to changes in arterial Pco2 were not affected by the hydrocephalus. The lower CSF formation rate of hydrocephalic cats can be attributed in part to the decrease in the mass of choroid plexus tissue.