Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, colorless body fluid found within the tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord of all vertebrates.
In neuroanatomy, the ventricular system is a set of four interconnected cavities known as cerebral ventricles in the brain. Within each ventricle is a region of choroid plexus which produces the circulating cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The ventricular system is continuous with the central canal of the spinal cord from the fourth ventricle, allowing for the flow of CSF to circulate.
The fourth ventricle is one of the four connected fluid-filled cavities within the human brain. These cavities, known collectively as the ventricular system, consist of the left and right lateral ventricles, the third ventricle, and the fourth ventricle. The fourth ventricle extends from the cerebral aqueduct to the obex, and is filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Hubert von Luschka, born Hubert Luschka, was a German anatomist. He lent his name to several structures, including the foramina of Luschka, Luschka's crypts, Luschka's joints, and Ducts of Luschka. His name is also associated with Luschka's law, an anatomical rule concerning location of the ureters.
In anatomy, Luschka's joints are formed between uncinate process or "uncus" below and uncovertebral articulation above. They are located in the cervical region of the vertebral column from C3 to C7. Two lips project upward from the superior surface of the vertebral body below, and one projects downward from the inferior surface of vertebral body above. They allow for flexion and extension and limit lateral flexion in the cervical spine.
The median aperture is an opening at the caudal portion of the roof of the fourth ventricle. It allows the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the fourth ventricle into the cisterna magna. The other openings of the fourth ventricle are the lateral apertures - one on either side. The median aperture varies in size but accounts for most of the outflow of CSF from the fourth ventricle.
The aperture of an optical system is the opening that limits the amount of light that can pass through.
In the brain, the interventricular foramina are channels that connect the paired lateral ventricles with the third ventricle at the midline of the brain. As channels, they allow cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) produced in the lateral ventricles to reach the third ventricle and then the rest of the brain's ventricular system. The walls of the interventricular foramina also contain choroid plexus, a specialized CSF-producing structure, that is continuous with that of the lateral and third ventricles above and below it.
The subarachnoid cisterns are spaces formed by openings in the subarachnoid space, an anatomic space in the meninges of the brain. The space is situated between the two meninges, the arachnoid mater and the pia mater. These cisterns are filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
The cisterna magna is the largest of the subarachnoid cisterns. It occupies the space created by the angle between the caudal/inferior surface of the cerebellum, and the dorsal/posterior surface of the medulla oblongata. The fourth ventricle communicates with the cistern via the unpaired midline median aperture. It is continuous inferiorly with the subarachnoid space of the spinal canal.
The anterior choroidal artery is a bilaterally paired artery of the brain. It is typically a branch of the internal carotid artery which supplies the choroid plexus of lateral ventricle and third ventricle as well as numerous structures of the brain.
The cerebellopontine angle (CPA) is located between the cerebellum and the pons. The cerebellopontine angle is the site of the cerebellopontine angle cistern.
The medullary striae of fourth ventricle are a landmark of the rhomboid fossa - the floor of the fourth ventricle. They are part of the auditory system. The medullary striae are formed by crossed-over anterior internal arcuate fibers - efferents of the arcuate nucleus of medulla oblongata - as they pass laterally beneath the ependyma of the fourth ventricle to reach the contralateral cerebellum. The striae pass over the dorsal aspect of the medial vestibular nucleus.
The tela choroidea is a region of meningeal pia mater that adheres to the underlying ependyma, and gives rise to the choroid plexus in each of the brain’s four ventricles. Tela is Latin for woven and is used to describe a web-like membrane or layer. The tela choroidea is a very thin part of the loose connective tissue of pia mater overlying and closely adhering to the ependyma. It has a rich blood supply. The ependyma and vascular pia mater – the tela choroidea, form regions of minute projections known as a choroid plexus that projects into each ventricle. The choroid plexus produces most of the cerebrospinal fluid of the central nervous system that circulates through the ventricles of the brain, the central canal of the spinal cord, and the subarachnoid space. The tela choroidea in the ventricles forms from different parts of the roof plate in the development of the embryo.
The posterior perforated substance is a layer of gray matter which is pierced by small apertures for the transmission of blood vessels. Its inferior part lies on the ventral aspect of the medial portions of the tegmenta and contains the interpeduncular nucleus; its superior part forms part of the floor of the third ventricle.
The prepontine cistern, or pontine cistern is one of the subarachnoid cisterns situated ventral to the pons. It contains the basilar artery. Each lateral aperture opens into the pontine cistern just posterior to the cranial nerve VIII.
The interpeduncular cistern is the subarachnoid cistern situated between the dorsum sellae (anteriorly) and the two cerebral peduncles at the front of the midbrain. Its roof is represented by the floor of the third ventricle. Its floor is formed by the arachnoid membrane extending between the temporal lobes of either side. Anteriorly, it extends to the optic chiasm.
The lateral recess or lateral recess of fourth ventricle, is a projection of the fourth ventricle which extends to the lateral border of the brainstem at the pontomedullary junction. At this point the fourth ventricle is at its widest.
The quadrigeminal cistern is a subarachnoid cistern situated between splenium of corpus callosum, and the superior surface of the cerebellum. It contains a part of the great cerebral vein, the posterior cerebral artery, quadrigeminal artery, glossopharyngeal nerve, and the pineal gland.
The cistern of lamina terminalis is one of the subarachnoid cisterns. It is situated either superior to the lamina terminalis, or rostral/anterior to the lamina terminalis and anterior commissure between the two frontal lobes of the cerebrum. It is situated rostral/anterior to the third ventricle. The cistern is an extension of interpeduncular cistern. The cistern of lamina terminalis interconnects the chiasmatic cistern and pericallosal cistern.
