Ventricular system
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At the time the article was created Jeremy Jones had no recorded disclosures.
View Jeremy Jones's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Tariq Walizai had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Tariq Walizai's current disclosures- Cerebral ventricles
- Ventricles of the brain
The ventricular system in the brain is a series of interconnecting spaces and channels within the brain composed of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF is produced by ependymal cells which line the ventricles. They are continuous with the central canal. Ventricles contain around 20% of the total average adult CSF volume, around 20-25 mL.
The ventricular system consists of four ventricles (spaces), two being midline and the other two being paired:
right and left lateral ventricles
a midline third ventricle
a midline fourth ventricle
The interconnections between the ventricles occur through the following:
interventricular foramen (of Monro): each lateral ventricle to third ventricle
cerebral aqueduct (of Sylvius): third ventricle to fourth ventricle
median aperture (of Magendie): fourth ventricle to cisterna magna
two lateral apertures (of Luschka): fourth ventricle to cerebellopontine angle cistern
obex: fourth ventricle into the central canal
Both the cisterna magna and the cerebellopontine angle cistern are in the subarachnoid space. This space is continuous with the subarachnoid space around the cord down to the level of the cauda equina.
The majority of CSF production is from choroid plexus within the lateral, third and fourth ventricles of the brain which are highly vascularized epithelial tissue masses 3. Notably, choroid plexus is not found in the frontal or occipital horns of lateral ventricles, nor in the cerebral aqueduct.
Development
A single cavity, or hollow of the neural tube, serves as the foundation for the ventricular system. Around the fourth week of gestation, the neural tube begins to develop. The neural cavity and amniotic cavity are then separable after the spinal neurocele closes.
From the cephalic to the caudal end, three dilatations are formed: the prosencephalon (forebrain), mesencephalon (midbrain), and rhombencephalon (hindbrain).
lateral ventricles develop from the telencephalic cavity
third ventricle develops from the diencephalic cavity
cerebral aqueduct develops from the restricted mesencephalic cavity, while the fourth ventricle is formed from the rhombencephalic cavity
Related pathology
Quiz questions
References
- 1. Henry Gray, Patricia Collins. Gray's Anatomy. (2005) ISBN: 0443071683 - Google Books
- 2. Michael Schünke. Head and Neuroanatomy. (2007) ISBN: 9783131421210 - Google Books
- 3. Liddelow S. Development of the Choroid Plexus and Blood-CSF Barrier. Front Neurosci. 2015;9. doi:10.3389/fnins.2015.00032
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- Intraventricular
- Organomegaly
- Cerebral amyloid angiopathy
- Third ventricle
- Fetal ventriculomegaly
- Hydrocephalus (summary)
- Efface
- Intracranial haemorrhage (summary)
- Interventricular foramen (of Monro)
- Choroid plexus
- Cisterna magna
- Sagittal midline of the brain (an approach)
- Circumventricular organs (CNS)
- CNS infectious diseases
- Tela choroidea
- Lateral apertures (of Luschka)
- Intraventricular haemorrhage
- Porencephaly
- Fourth ventricle
- Intraventricular simple cysts
- Bochdalek's flower basket
- Orbital medial wall blow-out fracture
- Basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid
- Eyelid basal cell carcinoma
- Arterial tortuosity syndrome
- Global hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy
- Pseudo-subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Basal ganglia haemorrhage with intraventricular extension
- Scaphocephaly - adult
- Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma
- Subependymoma
- Segmental callosal agenesis
- Absence of the sagittal suture - normal skull configuration
- Ruptured dermoid cyst with aseptic chemical meningitis
- Pseudo-subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Fibrous dysplasia
- Normal pressure hydrocephalus
- Primary intraventricular haemorrhage
- Brain death
- Brain ventricle anatomy (illustration)
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