Dr.

John Vincent Estrada

NEUROANATOMY: Ventricular System and Cerebrospinal Fluid

LATERAL VENTRICLES
This trans belongs to: _____________________________________
 Roughly C-shaped cavity
VENTRICULAR SYSTEM  Divided into:
o BODY= Occupies the parietal lobe.
 Four fluid-filled cavities located within the brain. o ANTERIOR HORN= Occupies the frontal lobe.
 Lined throughout with ependyma and are filled with o INFERIOR HORN= Occupies the temporal lobe.
cerebrospinal fluid. o POSTERIOR HORN= Occupies the occipital lobe.
 The body divides into posterior and inferior horns at the
 Consists of the two lateral ventricles, third and fourth posterior end of the thalamus.
ventricles.  The anterior horn is continuous with the body at the
 Communications: Interventricular foramen.
o Between lateral and third ventricles:
INTERVENTRICULAR FORAMINA OF MONRO INTERVENTRICULAR FORAMEN OF MONRO
o Between the third and fourth ventricles:
CEREBRAL AQUEDUCT OF SYLVIUS  Boundaries:
o Anterior: Anterior column of the fornix
 Diagrammatic Illustration: o Posterior: Anterior end of the thalamus

THIRD VENTRICLE

 Slitlike cleft between the two thalami

 Communicates anteriorly with the lateral ventricles
through the interventricular foramina and posteriorly with
the fourth ventricle through the cerebral aqueduct of
Sylvius.

CEREBRAL AQUEDUCT OF SYLVIUS

 A narrow channel about ¾ of an inch (1.8 cm)

 Connects the third and fourth ventricles
 Surrounded by a layer of gray matter called the central
gray.

FOURTH VENTRICLE

 Tent-shaped cavity
 Situated anterior to the cerebellum and posterior to the
pons and the superior half of the medulla oblongata.

EMBRYOLOGY OF THE VENTRICULAR SYSTEM

 Lateral Ventricle is derived from the central lumen of

cerebral vesicles
 The Third and Fourth Ventricles are derived from the
central lumen of the neural tube.

Superior View

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 NEUROANATOMY | Ventricular System and Cerebrospinal Fluid

SUMMARY: VENTRICULAR SYSTEM

VENTRICLE EMBRYOLOGY LOCATION COMMUNICATIONS
Lateral Ventricle Derived from the central  Body- occupies the parietal lobe. Interventricular Foramen of
lumen of cerebral vesicles  Anterior horn- occupies the frontal lobe. Monro
 Posterior horn- occupies the occipital
lobe.
 Inferior horn- occupies the temporal lobe.
3rd Ventricle Derived from the central Located between the two thalami.
lumen of the neural tube. Cerebral Aqueduct of Sylvius
4th ventricle Anterior to the cerebellum, posterior to the
pons and medulla.

CEREBROSPINAL FLUID

 Found in the ventricles of the brain and subarachnoid Physical Characteristics and Composition of the Cerebrospinal Fluid
space around the brain and spinal cord. Appearance Clear and colorless
 Volume = 150ml Volume c. 150 ml
 Clear, colorless fluid. Rate of Production 0.35 – 0.4 ml/min (accdg. to Dr. Estrada);
0.5 ml/min (accdg. to Snell)
Turnover Time 5 hours
 Contents
Pressure (spinal tap in 60-150 mm of water
o Trace amounts of protein. recumbent position)
o WBCs are absent or rare. Composition
 If there is a significant number of WBCs, Protein 15-45 mg/100ml
there’s an infection. Glucose 50-85 mg/100ml
o Inorganic salts similar to those in the blood Chloride 720-750 mg/100ml
3
Number of Cells 0-3 lymphocytes/mm
plasma.
 Higher sodium, chloride and
magnesium content
 Lower potassium, calcium, and glucose
FUNCTIONS OF CSF
content
 Glucose content is about half
1. Serves as a cushion between the central nervous system
that of the blood
and the surrounding bones
o Protecting it against mechanical trauma
 Formation
2. Nourishment of the nervous tissue
1. Formed in the choroid plexuses (lateral, third
o Cerebrospinal fluid is an ideal physiologic
and fourth ventricles)
substrate
2. Some from the ependymal cells lining the
3. Preserves homeostasis in the Nervous System
ventricles
4. Assists in the removal of products of neuronal metabolism
3. From the brain substance through the
perivascular spaces
Other functions:
o Production is not pressure regulated and it continues
1. Provides mechanical buoyancy and support for the brain
to be produced even if the reabsorption mechanisms
o Density of the brain is only slightly greater
are obstructed
than that of the cerebrospinal fluid
2. Serves as a reservoir and assist in the regulation of the
 Choroid plexuses
contents of the skull
o Much-folded surface
o Close relationship of the fluid to the
o Each fold consists of a core of vascular
nervous tissue and the blood
connective tissue covered with cuboidal to
3. Serves as a pathway for pineal secretions to
columnar epithelium (free surfaces covered with
reach pituitary gland
microvilli) of the ependyma.
o Blood of the capillaries is separated from the
ventricular lumen by endothelium, a basement
membrane, and the surface epithelium
(fenestrated and permeable to large molecules)
o Actively secretes CSF (creates a small pressure
gradient)
o Actively transport nervous system metabolites
from the CSF into the blood (decrease
concentrations of potassium, calcium,
magnesium, bicarbonate and glucose in the CSF)

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 NEUROANATOMY | Ventricular System and Cerebrospinal Fluid
CIRCULATION ARACHNOID VILLI (main sites for absorption)

Circulation is aided  Project into the dural venous sinuses, especially the superior
by the arterial sagittal sinus
pulsations of the  Grouped together to form elevations (Arachnoid granulations)
choroid plexuses o Increase in number and size with age
and by the cilia on o Become calcified with advanced age
the ependymal cells  Each villus is a diverticulum of the subarachnoid space, pierces
lining the ventricles
the dura mater
(Lateral-4th o It is capped by a thin cellular layer(covered by the
Ventricle) endothelium of the venous sinus)
 Fine tubules lined with endothelium permit a direct flow of
fluid from the subarachnoid space into the lumen of the venous
sinuses
 Compression of the tips of the villi, closes the tubules and
prevents the reflux of blood into the subarachnoid space
(serves as valves)

NEUROPHYSIOLOGY OF CSF

↑ brain ↑ blood ↑ CSF Obstructions

weight volume production in CSF flow

assisted by the
pulsations of the
cerebral arteries

(Lateral aspect
of each cerebral
↑ CSF
hemisphere)
Pressure

↑ intracranial
pressure

Normal Values of Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure

In recumbent Position 100- 150 mmH2O (accdg to Dr. Es)
 CSF not only bathes the ependymal and pial surfaces of the brain 60- 150 mmH2O (accdg to Snell)
and spinal cord but also penetrates the nervous tissue along the In sitting Position 200- 300 mmH2O
blood vessels
Clinical Application:
ABSORPTION
Hydrocephalus = abnormal increase in the volume of the CSF within
the skull
 Occurs when the CSF pressure exceeds the venous pressure in
the sinus
 Some probably is absorbed directly into the veins in the MORE THAN INCEPTION
subarachnoid space
 Some possibly escapes through the perineural lymph vessels of
the cranial and spinal nerves
 Production of CSF is constant, the rate of absorption controls
CSF pressure

Pictures are in our book: Snell’s Clinical

Neuroanatomy. No handy atlas for this
topic. 

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