Sudden fall without loss of consciousness or other symptoms (drop attacks)
Symptoms of progression of the disorder:
Dementia (loss of any or all brain functions, including movement, sensation, perception, and thought processes) -- originally mild, may progress to severe dementia
No observable mood (flat affect)
Apathy
Withdrawn behavior
Impaired memory
Difficulty maintaining attention
Decreased spontaneity
Urinary or bowel incontinence (loss of control over function)
An examination shows gait (walking) changes related to the damage within the brain. Deep tendon reflexes may be increased in the lower legs.
A lumbar puncture (spinal tap) may show normal pressure of CSF in the spine.
A head CT scan or MRI of head may show changes that indicate NPH.
A RHISA scan (a nuclear scan using radioactivity) may show changes of the circulation within the brain, or reflux of CSF into the ventricles.
Review Date: 5/16/2006
Reviewed By: Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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