Movement of Water Between Blood, Brain and CSF in Cerebral Edema

Movement of water between blood, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid was studied in cats with experimentally induced brain edema. A freeze lesion was used to induce edema characterized by an increase of brain extracellular space fluid. Major blood vessels supplying blood to the head were clamped to produce edema characterized by an increase of brain intracellular space fluid. Serum osmolality was decreased also to induce intracellular edema. Bulk flow of CSF into the cerebral ventricles was measured by the technique of ventriculocisternal perfusion. After perfusion, the water content of cerebral gray and white matter was measured.