National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system


Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system is a rare condition that primarily affects the brain. Signs and symptoms generally develop in adulthood and may include hearing loss and cerebellar ataxia. Some affected people may also experience seizures, memory impairment, bladder disturbance, headaches, back pain, and/or dysarthria. Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system is thought to be caused by bleeding into a portion of the brain called the subarachnoid space (the area between the brain and the thin tissues that cover the brain). This bleeding can have a variety of causes, such as trauma, a tumor of the central nervous system, arteriovenous malformations, or an unknown cause. Not all people who experience bleeding into the subarachnoid space go on to develop superficial siderosis of the central nervous system. Treatment varies based on the underlying cause and severity of the condition and may include surgery and/or medications.[1][2]
Last updated: 11/20/2015

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

In-Depth Information

  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

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  1. Posti JP, Juvela S, Parkkola R, Roine S. Three cases of superficial siderosis of the central nervous system and review of the literature. Acta Neurochir. October 2011; 153(10):2067-2073.
  2. Chen CY, Xiao F, Liu JL. Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system with seizures onset. Singapore Med J. October 2015; 56(10):590-591.