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Viviane Caplan wrote: > Has anyone heard of NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS: where the > size of the ventricles in the brain (which contain cerebrospinal fluid) > enlarge - but the pressure of the fluid in the brain is NOT increased? Yes, there *is* such a condition. It is diagnosed by doing a radioisotope study called a cisternogram, in which a small amount of radioactive tracer is injected into the spinal fluid and scans are taken over 6-48 hours. It is a disease of poor absorption of spinal fluid and is correctable with a shunt operation. Because the ventricles expand and press on the adjacent structures (which are the basal ganglia, the structures affected in PD), the symptoms can be very similar to classical PD. All newly-diagnosed cases of PD should have at least a CT scan to rule this out, as it is treatable. The classical triad of normal-pressure hydrocephalus is dementia, gait disturbance, and urinary incontinence. Best, Bob *********************************** ROBERT A. FINK, M. D., F.A.C.S. Neurological Surgery 2500 Milvia Street Suite 222 Berkeley, CA 94704-2636 USA Phone: (510) 849-2555 FAX: (510) 849-2557 WWW: <http://www.dovecom.com/rafink/> "Ex Tristitia Virtus" ***********************************