City Research Online

Abstract

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a water-like substance that circulates in a network of interconnected cavities located in the brain. The fluid ensures the brain’s well-being by providing hydromechanical and biochemical support. Moreover, the fluid facilitates neurogenesis (i.e. the birth of neurones); a process essential for embryo development and self-repair in developed brains.

Changes in the composition or flow of CSF are linked to the development and progression of various neurological conditions such as hydrocephalus, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. These conditions have been recognised for over a century; yet there is no definite explanation for their onset nor there is a cure to restore brain health. Hence, medical interventions (e.g. surgery, medication) are used to control the abnormalities and prevent further damage, but they do not address the underlying cause. One reason for the lack of effective treatments is the limited understanding of the CSF system; its production, circulation, and absorption, in healthy and diseased states, and after treatments.

In this research, we aim to better understand the CSF system by conducting mathematical and computational modelling. At first, a comprehensive review of the existing literature is provided to bring to attention the controversies and misconceptions related to the system. Further, we discuss the necessity of exploring the system step by step to correct the existing conjectures.

We present a novel and comprehensive mathematical model of the organ responsible for CSF production (i.e. choroid plexus (CP)). This model integrates the CP’s biological characteristics into physics and mathematical statements, which are solved using numerical techniques. The simulation predicts parameters such as pressure, concentration, and displacement of the CP, as well as the CSF production rate under different conditions such as ageing. This approach represents the first holistic method for understanding the dynamics of CSF production within the choroid plexus.

This research is extended to a preliminary investigation of CSF circulation in a 3D computational model of the brain cavities, constructed from magnetic resonance images (MRI). Simulation results characterise the CSF flow by providing information on pressure gradients, wall shear stresses, and fluid velocities

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	Q Science > QA Mathematics R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry T Technology > TL Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics
Departments:	School of Science & Technology > Engineering > Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics School of Science & Technology > School of Science & Technology Doctoral Theses Doctoral Theses

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