cerebrospinal fluid

noun

: a colorless liquid that is comparable to serum, is secreted from the blood into the lateral ventricles of the brain, and serves chiefly to maintain uniform pressure within the brain and spinal cord

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Liquid biopsy, which looks for traces of tumor components in fluids such as blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, semen or saliva, is a less invasive alternative. —Matías A. Loewy, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2023

After a seizure that left him temporarily paralyzed, Jack was diagnosed with a pseudotumor cerebri, a false brain tumor that is typically caused by the buildup of cerebrospinal fluid, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes . —Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, 16 Oct. 2021

In the study, published in the journal Science, researchers say a previously unknown fourth membrane exists in the brain—located in the space below the arachnoid layer—to help control the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and remove waste from the brain to support immune defense. —Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 9 Jan. 2023

An expert in rare diseases and aliments realizes that these same symptoms could be reflective of a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022

The puppy was born Hydrocephalus, a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the hollow places inside the brain, which can affect mobility, coordination, vision, and more. Because of his special needs, Toby's original owners considered euthanizing the puppy. —Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 17 Dec. 2021

First, the overall volume of the astronauts’ brains increased (particularly the white matter), as did the volume of their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the liquid that bathes our brains and spinal cords. —Doug Adler, Discover Magazine, 14 Apr. 2020

The choroid plexus is a network of blood vessels that produce cerebrospinal fluid. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2023

Research published in the influential journal Nature in May demonstrated that old mice given an infusion of cerebrospinal fluid from young mice for one week had improved cognition, not just for remembering the past but also for creating new memories. —Jamie Rosen, Robb Report, 31 July 2022

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Word History

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cerebrospinal fluid

noun

ce·​re·​bro·​spi·​nal fluid

sə-ˌrē-brō-ˌspīn-ᵊl-

: a colorless fluid that occupies the cavities of the brain and spinal cord and the space between these and the membranes surrounding them

Medical Definition

cerebrospinal fluid

noun

: a liquid that is comparable to serum but contains less dissolved material, that is secreted from the blood into the lateral ventricles of the brain by the choroid plexus, circulates through the ventricles to the spaces between the meninges about the brain and spinal cord, and is resorbed into the blood through the subarachnoid sinuses, and that serves chiefly to maintain uniform pressure within the brain and spinal cord

called also spinal fluid

compare lymph