Module
22
Icon module 22
Nervous system

The lateral ventricle and the inner nuclear region

Promemoria: The CNS begins as the neural tube with a central cavity. The ventricle system arises from the anterior end of the central canal. The mighty development of the cerebral hemispheres leads to a profound transformation of the lateral ventricle. During their arch-shaped extending, the hemispheres take the ventricle space along, making the lateral ventricles also take on the typical rostroventrally-opened horseshoe form.

Fig. 98 - Development of the striatum and the lateral ventricle
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  1. Striatum
  2. Lateral ventricle

Legend
Fig. 98

Schematic paramedial section through the right hemisphere to show the placement relationship between the striatum and the lateral ventricle.

Note the horseshoe-shaped bending of 180o, so that the corresponding structures in the frontal segment can be encountered twice.

Fig. 99 - Development of the striatum and the lateral ventricle
media/module22/v10g_develventriclateral_w23.gif

  1. Striatum
  2. Lateral ventricle
  3. Anterior horn (frontal) of the lateral ventricle
  4. Choroid fissure
  5. Inferior horn (temporal) of the lateral ventricle

Fig. 100 - Development of the striatum and the lateral ventricle
media/module22/v10g_develventriclateral_w28.gif

6
Posterior horn (occipital) of the lateral ventricle
7
Lentiform nucleus
8
Head of the caudate nucleus
9
Caudate nucleus (body and tail)


With the pallium, the lateral ventricle completes the shape alterations and releases processes into the frontal lobe (anterior horn s. frontal), into the temporal lobe (inferior horn s. temporal) as well as into the occipital lobe (posterior horn s. occipital). In the adjacent nerve tissue lies the caudate nucleus that arches itself into the ventricle space. It takes on the same horseshoe shape so that in a frontal section it is met with twice.
By these shape alterations the putamen that lies below the insula is affected only slightly and is thus increasingly surrounded by the caudate nucleus.
The pallidum remains spared from the rotation movements.

The choroid plexus (green) arises only in the central part (pars centralis) of the lateral ventricle. The anterior, posterior and inferior horns miss the plexus.

Fig. 101 - The choroid plexus
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  1. Interventricular foramen
  2. Lateral ventricle
  3. Anterior (frontal) horn of the lateral ventricle
  4. IIIrd ventricle
  5. Inferior horn (temporal) of the lateral ventricle
  6. Cerebral aqueduct (Sylvii)
  7. Posterior horn (occipital) of the lateral ventricle

Legend
Fig. 101

The choroid plexus (green) is present in the roofs of the IIIrd and IVth ventricles as well as in the central part of the lateral ventricles.  It is absent in the anterior, posterior and inferior lateral ventricle horns