The clinical picture in occult hydrocephalus

Abstract

From a study of 16 successfully shunted cases of symptomatic normal pressure hydrocephalus, the typical symptomatology has been characterized. It was found that gait disturbance preceded impaired mentation in 12 of the 16 cases, it began at the same time in three cases and in only one case did impairment of mentation precede it. Of 11 cases of shunt failure, dementia came first in nine and the disturbance of locomotion was relatively less severe or was absent. The various ways in which hydrocephalus may present have been outlined.