Learning objectives
After going through this study unit, you should be able to:
The ventricles of the brain are an interconnected network of cavities filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) located within the brain parenchyma. The ventricular system consists of the two lateral ventricles, the third ventricle, and the fourth ventricle. The choroid plexuses, located within each ventricle, produce CSF which fills the ventricles and subarachnoid space. This fluid cushions the brain and spinal cord from injury and also serves as a nutrient delivery and waste removal system for the brain.
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Review all the structures you learned today with the atlas gallery below.
Definition | Interconnected cavities within the brain that produce and contain CSF |
Function | Protect the brain from injury Nutrition of the brain and waste removal |
Composition | Lateral ventricles (2) Third ventricle Fourth Ventricle |
Related structures | Interventricular foramen (of Monro): lateral ventricles → third ventricle Cerebral aqueduct (of Sylvius): third ventricle → fourth ventricle |
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