Ventricles and CSF Flashcards
What are the ventricles?
They are interconnected spaces/cavities that lie within the brain. The central canal of the spinal cord is a continuation of the ventricular system within that structure.
What embryological structures are the ventricles formed from?
Neural tube vesicles
What are the different structures of the ventricular system?
Lateral ventricles 3rd ventricle 4th ventricle Interventricular foramen Cerebral aqueduct
In what lobes of the brain do the lateral ventricles lie in?
Anterior horn -> forntal lobe
Body -> parietal lobe
Posterior horn -> Occipital lobe
Inferior horn -> temporal lobe
In what lobe does the interventricular foramen lie?
Temporal lobe
In what part of the brain does the 3rd ventricle lie?
Within diencephalon
In what part of the brain does the cerebral aqueduct lie?
Midbrain
In what part of the brain does the 4th ventricle lie?
In-between brainstem and cerebellum
What name is given to the specialised structures that lie in the ventricles that generate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
Choroid plexus
How does the CSF pass into the subarachnoid space from the 4th ventricle?
Apertures:
Foramina of Luschka (lateral)
Foramina of Magendie (median)
At which location is CSF finally reabsorbed back into general circulation?
Arachnoid villi which drain into the sagittal sinus
What is the clinical concern with a blockage of CFS reabsorption?
It will increase in intracerebral pressure and cause hydrocephalus and can occur in isolation or as part of spina bifida.
How is hydrocephalus treated?
Using a shunt to redirect the fluid out of the cerebral circulation into the deep venous system
What can cause a disruption of CSF in adult?
Trauma and will not result in the enlargement of the head, but would increase intracranial pressure
