Numerical Analysis Group

In a healthy human brain, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a water-like liquid, fills a system of cavities, known as ventricles, inside the brain and also surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Abnormalities in CSF dynamics, such as hydrocephalus, are not uncommon and can be fatal for the patient. We will consider two types of models for the so-called infusion test, during which additional fluid is injected into the CSF space at a constant rate, while measuring the pressure continuously, to get an insight into the CSF dynamics of that patient.

In compartment type models, all fluids are lumped into compartments, whose pressure and volume interactions can be modelled with compliances and resistances, equivalent to electric circuits. Since these models have no spatial variation, thus cannot give information such as stresses in the brain tissue, we also consider a model based on the theory of poroelasticity, but including strain-dependent permeability and arterial blood as a second fluid interacting with the CSF only through the porous elastic solid.