5 Functions Of Cerebrospinal Fluid!

5 functions of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

 

One question I get asked a lot is ‘what does this do’ when I’m holding a client's head in my hands whilst they’re lying on the bench. There are many different answers I could give, as I’m influencing multiple systems in the body, but the flow of CSF is one of the most important. 

 

Some people can feel the rhythm, and may feel a sensation in their head of a pendulum swinging, or might feel like they’re spinning, and others may feel nothing at all. But we as clinicians can feel the subtle movement of the bones in your skull, and alter our hand position to create a change in the movement, which in turn influences the choroid plexus that produces 80% of CSF. 

 

Below are 5 key reasons why CSF is so important to your health. 

 

• Buyounancy

Our brains are quite heavy, they weigh an average of 1.5kg. That’s quite a large weight for it to be rattling around inside our skulls. The buyounancy provided by the CSF makes the relative weight of the brain around 25-50g. This means that our brains can be as dense as they are without compromising the health of it, as if the CSF wasn't there, the lower part of the brain would be crushed under its weight. This means we’d lose bloody supply and neurons, and therefore function in those areas.

 

• Protection

We move a lot. And we’re also in a lot of accidents. Big traumas like car crashes, or small traumas like falling over when we learn to walk. Every single person alive has had some sort of physical trauma that had the potential to damage the brain if it wasn't for the CSF. The CSF acts as a shock absorber, a fluid buffer to brain tissue protecting it from injury.

 

• Prevention of brain ischemia

Ischemia is caused by lack of blood supply to an organ, muscle or area of tissue, reducing the amount of oxygen to that part of the body. This compromises function of the cells, and will eventually lead to tissue death. Reduction of CSF in the brain decreases intracranial pressure, which in turn facilitates blood perfusion. This means blood can flow more easily through the blood vessels in the brain, increasing the amount of oxygen.

 

• Homeostasis

Homeostasis is the maintenance of a stable internal environment for optimal functioning. This relates to things like body temperature, fluid levels, pH levels, blood sugar levels etc. CSF allows for regulation and distribution of this within the brain, as changes in certain neuroendocrine factors can result in symptoms like dizziness and changes in blood pressure. 

 

• Clearing waste

The lymphatic system is responsible for filtering our blood, and plays a big role in our immune response. The lymphatic system in the brain is called the glymphatic system, and as metabolic waste diffuses into the CSF, the CSF carries it into the bloodstream as it is reabsorbed. If this isn't happening properly, the CSF can become toxic, and is linked to certain conditions like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). 

 

These 5 reasons are just some of the reasons why we do a lot of cranial work with all of our clients. It may seem odd when we're pulling on your earlobes, or sitting there cradling your head in our hands, but we're influencing the flow of CSF to improve the health and function of your brain and nervous system.