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Abstract #1261

Inspiration drives cerebrospinal fluid flow in humans

Steffi Dreha-Kulaczewski 1 , Arun Jospeh 2,3 , Klaus-Dietmar Merboldt 2 , Hans Ludwig 4 , Jutta Gaertner 1 , and Jens Frahm 2,3

1 Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Neurology, University Medical Center, Goettingen, Germany, 2 Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut fuer biophysikalische Chemie, Goettingen, Germany, 3 partner site Goettingen, German Center for Cardiovascular Research, Germany, 4 Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Goettingen, Germany

The mechanisms behind cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow in humans are still not fully known. We applied a novel real-time MRI technique at high spatial and temporal resolution in healthy subjects to study through-plane CSF flow in the third ventricle. Significant CSF flow was observed exclusively with inspiration (forced breathing protocol), whereas breath hold suppressed it. A small modulating flow component was ascribed to cardiac pulsation. The present results unambiguously identify inspiration as the most important driving force for CSF flow. This approach opens new opportunities to study the pathophysiology of various forms of hydrocephalus and to design appropriate therapeutic strategies.

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