In-vitro experiments characterizing the cerebrospinal fluid flow in the central nervous system*

The characterization of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulsatile-flow dynamics in the central nervous system (CNS) is fundamental for the study of CSF-related disorders. Recently developed theoretical descriptions for the CSF flow in the spinal canal and in the cerebral aqueduct can be used in combination with MRI flow-rate measurements to determine intracranial pressure temporal fluctuations and interventricular pressure differences. These descriptions have been validated via in-vitro experiments involving anatomically correct models. For the spinal canal, an elastic silicone model with relevant material properties reflective of the spinal-canal wave dynamics have been developed. Preliminary results indicate good agreement with the models.