Causes
An increase in intracranial pressure can have many different causes. Roughly speaking, the various causes can be divided into two categories. On the one hand, the cerebral pressure rises if there is a flow obstruction, on the other hand, the cerebral pressure rises if too much cerebral water is produced or if there is too much water in the brain due to certain processes.
The outflow path of the cerebral water can be blocked by a tumor that grows uncontrollably. Therefore, after a certain time, it reaches important structures and infiltrates them, i.e. it grows into body structures and thus destroys them. This can also happen in the liquor system.
If a tumor grows into the cerebrospinal fluid, these are eventually blocked. However, the body continuously produces new cerebrospinal fluid, so that there is a kind of congestion and thus logically the pressure increases. The cerebrospinal fluid can also be prevented from flowing away by an abscess.
An abscess is an encapsulated accumulation of pus in a body cavity created by tissue fusion. Abscesses can have many different causes and often occur without a clearly identifiable reason. Here, too, the cerebral fluid accumulates, which causes an increase in intracranial pressure.
A further cause of a flow obstruction can be a cerebral hemorrhage. This can be caused by existing high blood pressure. The blood that leaks from the vascular system displaces the surrounding brain tissue and can compress the brain.
In addition, the bleeding can break into the ventricular system (cerebrospinal fluid spaces). This can lead to circulatory disorders of the cerebral fluid. The fluid proliferation occurs in the so-called brain edema (brain swelling).
Damage to the blood-brain barrier leads to an influx of water and brain edema. The cerebral edema and thus the increase in intracranial pressure can have several different causes: The craniocerebral trauma caused by an accident can lead to the development of brain edema. Any injury to the head or skull involving the brain is called craniocerebral trauma.
Since there is always the risk of brain edema, cerebral hemorrhage and other complications, every patient with craniocerebral trauma should be admitted to hospital for observation. The development of brain edema can also be toxic (poisonous). This means that brain edema can be caused by certain toxins.
Furthermore, brain edema can have a metabolic cause, i.e. a metabolic process can be the trigger (metabolism=metabolism). Another reason for brain edema can be hypoxia. Hypoxia is a lack of oxygen in the tissue.
So if the brain is undersupplied, it can react with a swelling. An important cause of a lack of oxygen is a cerebral infarction (ischemic insult). In a cerebral infarction, the blood supply to the brain is interrupted for various reasons.
Since the brain and the entire body are generally supplied with oxygen via the blood, an acute oxygen deficiency occurs. Just as the arterial vascular system is blocked in a cerebral infarction, the venous blood flow can also be disrupted. This is generally called thrombosis, in the brain this is called sinus vein thrombosis.
This sinus vein thrombosis closes the blood outflow. Since the cerebral fluid also drains off via the venous blood, this is similar to a flow obstruction in the cerebrospinal fluid spaces. The pressure rises and the brain swells, causing the cerebral pressure to rise.
Cerebral edema can also have inflammatory causes. For example, it can be a complication of a bacterial infection (e.g. meningoencephalitis caused by meningococcus, i.e. meningitis).
Finally, space-occupying processes can also trigger cerebral edema and thus an increase in intracranial pressure. A frequent space-occupying process is the growth of a tumor. Furthermore, an abscess can trigger pressure on the surrounding tissues.
Bleeding and haematomas can also trigger cerebral edema and subsequently an increase in intracranial pressure. Cerebral edema can also be caused by contact with high voltage current. This means that caution is required after a high voltage accident.Among the possible, but nevertheless rather untypical side effects of an overdosed L-thyroxine therapy for hypothyroidism are fever, vomiting and increased intracranial pressure, which can be observed especially in children.
The occurrence of L-thyroxine-induced increased intracranial pressure is also known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension, which, although most common in women around the age of 30, also affects children in 37% of cases, especially between the ages of 5 and 15 (boys and girls are equally affected). As the name “idiopathic” implies, the exact cause of the increased intracranial pressure is still unknown, but studies have shown certain risk factors, such as the intake of L-thyroxine in childhood, which favour the development of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Other hormonal disorders (away from the thyroid gland) can also lead to the constellation of symptoms.
These can occur in the context of endocrinological diseases or tumor diseases. The Cushing’s syndrome is an example of this. This is an increase in the cortisone level in the blood, either through the body’s own increased production or through long-term use of cortisone-containing medication.
Stress is a physical condition in which the body uses hormones to increase energy consumption, stimulates the cardiovascular system and can lead to various symptoms. The triggers for stress can be explained physically and psychologically. Increased intracranial pressure can occur in many situations together with stress.
However, the stress does not necessarily have to be the cause of the increased intracranial pressure. Rather, the stress is often a further symptom of an underlying disease. Stress can be associated with increased intracranial pressure, especially in children.
Other symptoms include sweating, palpitations, weight loss and insomnia. Often, an already existing increased intracranial pressure can also lead to a slight feeling of stress. A slight increase in intracranial pressure of about 10mmHg can lead to feelings of restlessness, nervousness and subjectively perceived physical stress.
