Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is secreted by the choroids plexuses and has the potential to act as a signaling pathway for physiological control as it has been demonstrated to contain molecules such as interleukins, leukoterins, neuropeptides, growth transforming factor‐beta (TGF‐β) and nerve growth factor (NGF), which are present at specific times during development. In this study, CSF from hydrocephalic and normal children were analysed using SDS‐PAGE followed by silver staining. In order to obtain semi‐quantitative estimates of the relative amounts of 26 kDa protein, an image analyzer was used to determine the intensities of the band in the respective lanes in silver‐stained gels. Quantification of the silver‐stained gels from repeated experiments showed that the amount of 26 kDa protein was clearly increases in the hydrocephalic CSF when compared with the normal CSF. A Western blot analysis using anti‐NGF antibody as a probe confirmed the presence of NGF. Using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), it was shown that the level of NGF in the hydrocephalic CSF is higher than in normal CSF. It is concluded that NGF is not only a constant component of human CSF but could also be significantly involved in the pathophysiology of hydrocephalus.