It is a cavity of the brain through which a substance such as cerebrospinal fluid circulates. In total there are 4 cerebral ventricles: two lateral ventricles that are located along each hemisphere; on the other hand, a thin and flattened third ventricle is located between the thalamus; finally, the fourth ventricle is located between the brainstem and the cerebellum. All the aforementioned ventricles are interconnected with each other
On the other hand, the ventricular space continues into the spinal cord through the ependymal canal, a fairly small cavity that begins at the end of the fourth ventricle and passes through the interior of the spinal cord.
As mentioned above, the ventricles communicate through the interventricular orifice with the third ventricle, this structure is located just below the thalamus. While the third and fourth ventricle maintain communication through the cerebral aqueduct. The fourth ventricle is connected to the spinal cord through the ependymal canal. This structure crosses the entire cord and allows the cerebrospinal fluid to travel through it to its final part in the so-called terminal ventricle. Meanwhile, the fourth ventricle also connects with the arachnoid through the Luschka and Magendie orifices, thus allowing the cerebrospinal fluid to be distributed correctly throughout the brain.
Despite the fact that the cerebral ventricles and the ventricular system are seen as a system, they may seem like a residue of development that does not have great functions, however, the truth is that they are very important elements in what refers to the maintenance of the health and the state of the brain.
Las funciones de los ventrículos son varias, sin embargo, existe una que resalta por sobre el resto, siendo ésta la producción de líquido cefalorraquídeo, cabe acotar que dicha sustancia es secretada también en pequeñas cantidades por otras estructuras como por ejemplo el espacio subaracnoideo, pero en términos generales la cantidad de líquido cefalorraquídeo que el organismo posee es secretada por los plexos coroideos que pertenecen al sistema ventricular.
