Pseudotumor cerebri

Pseudotumor cerebri (benign intracranial hypertension or false brain tumor) is a neurologic disease that is caused by increased pressure within the brain. It affects most commonly women between ages 20 and 50. Symptoms are headache, nausea and vomiting. The name of the disease comes from the fact that these symptoms are also frequently observed in patients with brain tumor. The reason is the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain for unknown reasons. Pressure may be decreased by repeated spinal taps (to remove excessive cerebrospinal fluid), steroids or drugs that reduce cerebrospinal fluid production. In advanced stages of the disease the increased pressure may affect the optic nerves and thus cause double vision or loss of vision.