Anatomy Of The

Ventricles Of The Brain

By
OKWA-VICTOR,EUNICE GODWIN
DE.2019/5496
SEPTEMBER,2023
Introduction to the Anatomy Of
The Ventricles Of The Brain
The Ventricles of the
brain are communicating
network of cavities filled
with Cerebrospinal fluid
(CSF).It is located in the
brain parenchyma.
Introduction to the Anatomy Of
The Ventricles Of The Brain
The Ventricular system
consists: the lateral
ventricles,third ventricle
and the fourth
ventricle.Also there is
the: Foramen of
Monroe,Cerebral
Aqueduct and Choroid
Plexuses .
The Lateral Ventricles
The Lateral Ventricles
(Right and Left) is located
in the cerebral
hemisphere and consists:
Frontal Horn(anterior)
Body (atrium)
Temporal Horn (inferior)
Occipital Horn(posterior)
Continuation
The Foramen of Monroe
connects the lateral
ventricles( right and
left)to the third ventricle
Frontal(anterior)Horn
>Extends into the frontal
lobe.
Roof and anterior
extremity is formed by:
>Corpus callosum
(rostrum and genu)
Medial wall:
Septum pellicudum
Lateral wall and floor:
Caudate nucleus.
 Body (atrium)Of The Lateral
Ventricles
The body lies in the parietal
lobe.
Roof and Lateral Wall
>Corpus callosum and tapetal
fibres
Medial wall
>Septum pellicudum
Floor(medial/lateral)
>Thalamus/Body of caudate of
nucleus.
Temporal(inferior)Horn
Extends into the temporal
lobe and it is the largest
and longest of the three
horns.
Lateral Wall
>Fibers of tapetum
Roof
>Tail of Caudate nucleus
Floor
>Hypothalamus
Occipital (posterior) Horn
The posterior Horn turns
inversely and medially to
the Occipital lobe.
Roof and Lateral Wall
>The tapetum(sheets of
corpus callosum)
Upper medial wall
>Forceps major(fibers of
the Occipital lobe
sweeping downward).
Foramen of Monroe
The size and shape of the
Foramen depends on the size
of the ventricle.If the
ventricles are small, the
Foramen will be crescent-
shape, but if ventricles are
large Foramen are rounded in
shape.
The medial and posterior
choroidal arteries, superior
choroidal vein and septal vein
pass through this structure.
Third Ventricle
The third ventricle is a
median slit like cavity
located in between both
thalami and part of the
hypothalamus.
Continuation
In the anteriosuperiorly
aspect the third ventricle
communicates with the
lateral ventricle through
the Foramen of Monroe
and with the fourth
ventricle
posterioinferiorly
through the cerebral
aqueduct.
Continuation On The Third
Ventricle
Boundaries
Roof
Fornix and Choroid
Plexus
Anteriorly
Anterior commissure
Laminate terminalis
Continuation On The Third
Ventricle
Floor
Mammilary body
Tuber cinereum
Infundibulum
Posterior perforating
substance
Continuation On The Third
Ventricle
Posterior
Pineal gland
Posterior commissure.
Cerebral Aqueduct
The cerebral aqueduct is
the narrowest part of the
Ventricular system.It
measures approximately
18mm and it is commonest
site for blockade.
The size of this Foramen
decreases beginning from
the second fetal month as
other surrounding
neuronal tissues begin to
grow.
Fourth Ventricle

The fourth ventricle is a

diamond shaped cavity
situated in the
hindbrain.The fourth
ventricle is continuous
with the central canal of
the spinal cord and the
subarachnoid space.
Fourth Ventricle
Boundaries
Anteriorly
Pons and medulla
Roof (posterior)
Superior medullary
velum
Superior cerebellar
peduncles
Continuation On The Fourth
Ventricle
Floor
Inferior medullary velum
Inferior cerebellar
peduncles.
Foramina Of The Fourth Ventricle
>The Lateral Foramen Of
Lushka.
Located near the flocculus
of the cerebellum
>Median Foramen Of
Mangedie.
A large median aperture
located in the roof of the
ventricle at the lower part
of the inferior medullary
velum.
Continuation On The Foramina
Of The Fourth Ventricle
The lateral foramina of
Lushka and the median
foramen of Mangedie are
the openings through
which the fourth
ventricle communicates
with the subarachnoid
space.
Blood Supply And Lymphatics
Of The Ventricular System
The Choroid plexus of the
lateral ventricle is supplied
by the anterior and
posterior choroidal
arteries.
The posterior choroidal
artery supplies the Choroid
plexus of the third
ventricle.The anterior and
posteior inferior cerebellar
arteries supply the Choroid
Plexus
Cerebrospinal Fluid

Cerebrospinal Fluid is a
clear colourless body
fluid situated in the
Central Nervous System
(CNS).CSF flows in the
Ventricular system,
subarachnoid space and
central canal of the spinal
cord.
Cerebrospinal Fluid
About 500ml of CSF is
produced everyday by
specialized ependymal
cell located in the
Choroid Plexus.
Functions of CSF
>Cushioning of brain and
intracranial
neurovascular structures
Cerebrospinal Fluid
>Transport of
neuromodulators and
neurotransmitters
>Removal of waste
>Neural bouyancy
Cerebrospinal Fluid
• Cerebrospinal fluid is
produced by a
specialized tissue called
the choroid plexus.
Choroid plexuses are
located in the walls of
the lateral ventricles
and in the roofs of the
third and fourth
ventricles.
Cerebrospinal Fluid/Choroid
Plexus
• Choroid cells take up
various chemicals from
the underlying blood
vessel which they use to
actively secrete the CSF.
Thus, the CSF fluid is
not simply an
ultrafiltrate of blood but
differs from it in terms
of its electrolyte,and
protein content.
Clinical Correlation
Hydrocephalus
Impairment in CSF
circulation at any point
could result in
hydrocephalus.
This results in an increase
in CSF volume in the
Ventricular System.
Hydrocephalus
Also, there is a significant
abnormal enlargement of
the cerebral ventricle.
Classification of
Hydrocephalus
>Communicating or non-
communicating
hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus
>Congenital
hydrocephalus
>Acquired hydrocephalus
>Communicating
hydrocephalus:
Occurs when CSF flow is
not blocked.This is
caused due to impaired
absorption by the
arachnoid granulations.
Hydrocephalus
>Non-communicating
hydrocephalus
There is obstruction to
the flow of CSF from the
ventricular system to the
subarachnoid space.
Hydrocephalus
Obstruction usually occur
at narrow passages such
as: foramen of Monroe,
cerebral
aqueduct,median and
lateral foramina of the
fourth ventricle.
Hydrocephalus
>Acquired
hydrocephalus:It is
caused by etiologies such
as:tumour, hemorrhage,
infection etc.
Thank You