Pseudotumor of the brain
A pseudotumor of the brain is actually a condition in which intracranial pressure increases significantly for no apparent reason.
Symptomatically, the condition resembles a brain tumor, but the tumor is not confirmed in the brain. Pseudotumor of the brain can occur in children and adults, but is most common in overweight women of reproductive age.
Because the cause of increased intracranial pressure cannot be determined, a pseudotumor of the brain is also known as idiopathic increased intracranial pressure.
Increased intracranial pressure, which characterizes the pseudotumor condition of the brain, can cause swelling of the optic nerve and cause vision loss. Blood pressure can be controlled with medication, however, in some cases, surgical intervention is necessary
The exact cause of brain pseudotumor is unknown, but it may be related to excess cerebrospinal fluid.
The brain and spinal cord are surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid, which protects these tissues from damage. The fluid is produced in the brain and then drains, absorbed into the blood Increased intracranial pressure, which characterizes the pseudotumor condition of the brain, may be caused by a violation of the process of pumping fluid into the blood.
In general, intracranial pressure increases when the contents of the skull exceed the bone volume. For example, a brain tumor causes increased intracranial pressure because there is not enough room for the tumor By the same mechanism, swelling of the brain or accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid causes an increase in intracranial pressure
Several studies have shown that in pseudotumor brain tumors, a large number of patients have stenosis of the lateral sinuses. Research in this direction is underway
A pseudotumor of the brain presents with these signs and symptoms:
- A mild or severe headache that starts behind the eyes and worsens with eye movement
- Ringing in the ears that matches the heartbeat, contractions
- Feeling nauseous, vomiting, or lightheadedness
