Abstract
To know the stress and strain distributions in the brain tissue as a solid is very important for understanding the state or biomechanism of hydrocephalus. But it is impossible to measure such mechanical factors directly in the human body. This paper proposes mechanical models of the brain, whose property has not been clarified, and discusses the adequacy of the models. Computer simulations are performed under the condition that the hydrostatic pressure of the cerebral ventricle is high. Elastic models show the principal stress distributions or distributions of other mechanical factors. Elastoplastic models taking large deformation into consideration show the deformation of the brain tissue. Moreover, simulations that include the "mechanical adaptation" of the living tissue are performed in elastoplastic models. It may be supposed from the result that a mechanical adaptation acts to make the stress distribution uniform in the brain and to promote ventricular enlargement.
