Patients suffering from a type of elevated brain pressure may have their disease recognised earlier thanks to new biochemical clues, according to new research. The findings of the study were published in the journal Neurology. A study looked at the metabolism of people who experienced Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH), a common condition characterised by raised pressure in the brain and features debilitating headaches and the risk of sight loss. By testing various metabolic markers including blood, spinal fluid and urine, the team of researchers from the University of Birmingham found that four groups of markers were different to control participants, and suggests that the hypertension involves changes in the metabolism rather than solely being a neurological illness. Olivia Grech, PhD researcher in Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research at the University of Birmingham and first author of the paper said: "This is the first study to quantify metabolite concentrations in IIH patients, which has led to the identification of altered metabolic pathways. This work has helped us to understand the disease pathways which lead to raised brain pressure and headache in patients.