Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (Pseudotumor Cerebri)
Introduction
Michael Wall, MD
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
University of Iowa
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed
Creation Date: 1991
Last Revision Date: 2001
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension is a condition of
high pressure in the fluid around the brain. It is also
known as pseudotumor cerebri because there are some of the
signs and symptoms of a brain tumor without a brain tumor
being present (pseudo meaning false).
The space around the brain is filled with a water-like
fluid. If there is too much of this fluid present,
(for example, if not enough being absorbed), the
pressure around the brain rises. This is because the space
containing the fluid cannot expand. It is this high pressure
that produces the symptoms of idiopathic intracranial
hypertension (idiopathic means unknown cause; intracranial
means inside the head; hypertension means the fluid is under
high pressure).
Age at diagnosis of IIH
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