On the flow dynamics of cerebrospinal fluid

Despite a not insignificant number of anatomical and experimental studies describing the distribution and movement of the cerebrospinal fluid several questions were answered controversially, leaving room for objections and doubts. Some of these controversies I have tried to address by new experiments. Before going on to describe these studies, some short anatomical notes on the membranes that cover the central nervous system may be appropriate. Bichat described the anatomical membranes as follows: in between the fibrous lining of the brain-vertebral cavity, the dura mater and the vascularized coat of the spinal cord (the pia mater) a space covered by a serous skin is interposed, the parietal part of which is integrated with the inner side of the dura mater; and the visceral part in contrast is detachable from the underlying pia mater. The watery fluid of the brain-spinal-cord cavity discovered by Cotugno received more attention by Magendie, who initially placed it [the fluid] within the serous space described by Bichat, convincing himself [Magendie] however later, that it [the fluid] is present in between the visceral sheet of the arachnoid and the pia mater.