The lateral ventricles are C-shaped cavities located deep within the cerebral hemispheres that contain cerebrospinal fluid. They have five parts - the frontal horn, body, atrium, occipital horn, and temporal horn. The ventricles are bounded by structures like the thalamus, caudate nucleus, fornix, corpus callosum, and septum pellucidum. Cerebrospinal fluid is produced in the choroid plexus and circulates through the ventricles. The ventricles have relationships with cortical sulci, white matter tracts, and distances between ventricles and cortical regions are provided.

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Lateral ventricle
Dr Abhishek Rai
DNB Neurosurgery

2. Learning points
1. Introduction
2. Historical overview
3. Development and embryology
4. Anatomy
5. Neural relationship
6. Relation with cortical sulci
7. Relationship with white matter fasicles

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Introduction

4. Historical overview
 Aristotle (384-322 BC) was perhaps the first person to report the
existence of brain cavities, particularly those located in each cerebral
hemisphere.
 Herophilos of Chalcedon (335-280 BC) first time identified and
described such ventricles and choroid vesicles.
 Erasistratus of Ceos (304-250 BC), a disciple of Herophilus, proposed the
ventricular theory He stated that spiritus vitalis, found in the blood,
extended from the heart to the brain controls structure-function
relationships.
 Rufus of Ephesus, teacher of Galen of Pergamum, detailed the lateral
ventricles -the third and fourth ventricles- and the mesencephalic
aqueduct

5. Historical overview
 Galen (130-200) described this ventricular system with detail and
believed seizures were originated by the obstruction of the exit of the
cerebral ventricles. Galen not only provided a correct view of the
morphology of the four ventricles also described as mental faculties
were located in the solid portions of the brain.
 Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

6. Historical overview
 Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564), came to conclusions that contradicted
established galenic dogmas by means of dissections made in executed
criminals. Ventricles filled with CSF.
 Thomas Willis (1621-1675), proposed that CSF originated in the choroid
plexus.
 Alexander Monro secundus (1733–1817), Scottish physician, recorded
detailed descriptions and illustrations regarding the communication
between the lateral and third ventricles of the brain as well as
describing changes seen in hydrocephalus also proposed Monro-Kellie
hypothesis.

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Development

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Development

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Development

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Development

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Each lateral ventricle is a C-shaped cavity having around 10 cc of csf,it
wraps around the thalamus and is situated deep within the cerebrum.
Each lateral ventricle has five parts:
1. A frontal horn which has a ventral extremity in front of the
interventricular foramen (IVF). Its length is approximately 6 cm
2. A body between IVF and atrium
3. A temporal horn or inferior horn or sphenoidal horn, whose length is
4 cm
4. An atrium between these different parts
5. The occipital horns
Anatomy

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All five parts of lateral ventricle has medial and lateral walls, a roof, and a
floor.
In addition, the frontal and temporal horns and the atrium have anterior
walls.
1) Thalamus
2) Caudate nucleus
3) Fornix
4) Corpus callosum
5) Septum pellucidum
6) Internal capsule
Neural Relationships

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Neural Relationships

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19. The anterior frontal horn
 The boundaries are:
1. Internal wall: septum pellucidum
2. Roof, anterior wall and floor: anterior wrapping of the corpus
callosum, genu, rostrum and trunk
3. lateral wall: internal aspect of the head of the caudate nucleus.

20. The body of Lateral ventricles
 The boundaries are:
1. Internal wall: Septum pellucidum and
body of fornix
2. Roof: Inferior aspect of the body of
corpus callosum
3. Lateral wall: Medial part of the body of
the caudate nucleus
4. Floor: Supero-medial aspect of
thalamus

21. The atrium
 It communicates
1. Cranially, ventrally and medially with
the frontal horn.
2. Dorsally : the Occipital horn
3. Caudally, ventrally and laterally with
the inferior horn.
4. Anterior wall: Pulvinar
5. Roof and posteriorly : Splenial fibres
6. Medial wall : The choroidal fissura
with the choroidal plexus (glomus)

22. The occipital horn
 The boundaries are:
1. Cranially and inferiorly : by the fibers
of the splenium (bulbar prominence)
and the deep part of the calcarine
sulcus (calcar alvis)
2. Floor: Bulge by the collateral sulcus
forming the collateral eminence
3. Lateral wall: white matter of the
tapetum, overlaid laterally by the optic
radiations and then the inferior
longitudinal fasciculus

23. The temporal horn
 The boundaries are:
1. Floor: pes hippocampus and caudally
the collateral eminence
2. Roof: inferior aspect of the thalamus,
tail of the caudate nucleus and deep
white matter of the temporal lobe
3. Internal wall: Choroidal fissura and
choroid plexus

24. The interventricular foramen
 The boundaries are:
1. Laterally : The anterior pole of
the thalamus
2. Ventrally : The anterior crus
fornicis.
3. Diameter : 3–4 mm

25. Choroid plexus and CSF circulation
 It courses within the body, the atrium
and the temporal horn.
 At level of the atrium, it is bulky and
often presents with calcifications or
cysts: it’s the choroidal glomus.

26. Arterial vasculature
 Anterior choroid artery (AChA):
1. optic tract,
2. the cerebral peduncle
3. the globus pallidus,
4. the origin of the optic radiations.
 Posterior choroid artery (PChA) :
1. Medial PChA :
2. Lateral : peduncle, fornix, pulvinar
and caudate nucleus.

27. Veins of the lateral ventricles
 Veins of the medial wall of the LV:
1. Anterior septal vein
2. Posterior septal veins draining into the ICV.
3. Medial atrial veins joining either the lateral atrial vein or the ICV or
the medial occipital vein
4. Transversal veins of the hippocampus draining into the basal vein or
the ICV.
5. Vein of the amygdaloid body

28. Veins of the lateral ventricles
 Veins of the lateral wall:
1. Anterior caudate veins draining into the thalamostriate vein.
2. Thalamostriate vein
3. Posterior caudate veins
4. Thalamocaudate vein joins the ICV before the atrium.
5. Lateral atrial veins ending in the vein of Galen
6. Inferior ventricular veins

36. Relationships with the cortical
sulci(Anatomical)
 Calcarine sulcus forms the calcar alvis on the medial wall of the
occipital horn.
 Collateral sulcus forms the collateral eminence on the floor of the
temporal horn, of the atrium and of the occipital horn.
 The hippocampal sulcus raises on the medial wall of the
temporal horn and forms the horn of Ammon.

37. Relationships with the cortical
sulci
1. Longitudinal fissure of the brain(interhemispheric fissure)
2. T1–T2 sulcus
3. The sulcus lateralis (scissure of Sylvius)

38. Relationships with white matter
fascicles
a) Association fasciculi: Fornix
b) Comissural fibres : Corpus callosum
c) Projection fascicles:
1. Auditory radiations
2. Optic radiations

39. Relationship with Cortical
eloquent areas

40. Distances between cortex and
ventricular cavity

41. Distances between cortex and
ventricular cavity
• Here are the average values from the literature:
1. Frontal cortex - ivf maximum 60mm
2. Frontal cortex – frontal horn: 35–40mm
3. Temporal cortex – temporal horn: 25–30mm
4. Cortex of the hemispheric cross-road – atrium: 30mm
5. Parietal cortex – atrium: 50mm
6. Occipital cortex – atrium: 55mm