The spinal cord central canal in kaolin-induced hydrocephalus.

In order to study the cause of the great individual variations in kaolin-induced hydrocephalus, the lower brain stem and upper spinal cord were examined histologically in a series of young rabbits that had received injections of kaolin into the cisterna magna. Animals with complete occlusion of the outlets from the fourth ventricle into the subarachnoid space showed only a moderate ventricular dilatation, while cases with marked hydrocephalus also plugs of kaolin in the caudal part of the fourth ventricle. The intraventricular kaolin was adherent to the roof of the fourth ventricle by strands of connective tissue and it is suggested that the plugs served as valves that initially occluded the opening of the central canal and were then lifted away as the ventricle dilated and the roof moved posteriorly. The animals with marked hydrocephalus also had extensive dilatation of the central canal with cleft formation in the posterior columns. The observations support the concept that in hydrocephalus the central canal may serve as an alternative resorption route for the cerebrospinal fluid through communication with the spinal subarachnoid space.