cerebral aqueduct

(noun)

The channel in the brain that connects the third ventricle to the fourth ventricle. Also called the aqueduct of Sylvius, it is surrounded by periaqueductal gray matter.

Related Terms

  • cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
  • lateral foramina of Luschka
  • contralateral

(noun)

The channel in the brain which connects the third ventricle to the fourth ventricle. Also called the aqueduct of sylvius. It is surrounded by the periaqueductal gray.

Related Terms

  • cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
  • lateral foramina of Luschka
  • contralateral

Examples of cerebral aqueduct in the following topics:

  • Ventricles

    • CSF is produced by modified ependymal cells of the choroid plexus found in all components of the ventricular system except for the cerebral aqueduct and the posterior and anterior horns of the lateral ventricles.
    • CSF flows from the lateral ventricles via the foramina of Monro into the third ventricle, and then into the fourth ventricle via the cerebral aqueduct in the brainstem.
    • The aqueduct between the third and fourth ventricles is very small, as are the foramina.
    • The cerebral aqueduct is formed from the part of the neural canal that does not expand and remains the same at the level of the midbrain superior to the fourth ventricle.
    • Lateral and anterior views of the brain ventricles, including the third and fourth ventricle, lateral ventricles, interventricular foramen, cerebral aqueduct, and central canal.
  • Midbrain

    • The midbrain is located below the cerebral cortex and above the hindbrain placing it near the center of the brain.
    • It extends from the substantia nigra to the cerebral aqueduct (also called the ventricular mesocoeli).
    • The cerebral peduncles assist in motor movement refinement, motor skill learning, and converting proprioceptive information into balance and posture maintenance.
    • Throughout embryonic development, the cells within the midbrain continually multiply and compress the still-forming aqueduct of sylvius or cerebral aqueduct.
    • Partial or total obstruction of the cerebral aqueduct during development can lead to congenital hydrocephalus.
  • Development of the Central Nervous System

    • The tectum, pretectum, cerebral peduncle, and other structures develop out of the mesencephalon, and its cavity grows into the mesencephalic duct (cerebral aqueduct).
  • Trochlear (IV) Nerve

    • The nucleus of the trochlear nerve is located in the caudal mesencephalon beneath the cerebral aqueduct.
  • Spinal Cord White Matter

    • Cerebral and spinal white matter do not contain dendrites, which can only be found in grey matter along with neural cell bodies, and shorter axons.
    • Commissural tracts cross from one cerebral hemisphere to the other through bridges called commissures.
    • Aggregates of gray matter such as the basal ganglia and brain stem nuclei are spread within the cerebral white matter.
    • The fluid-filled cerebral ventricles (lateral ventricles, third ventricle, cerebral aqueduct, and fourth ventricle) are also located deep within the cerebral white matter.
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid and Its Circulation

    • It acts as a cushion or buffer for the cortex, providing a basic mechanical and immunological protection for the brain inside the skull and serving a vital function in cerebral autoregulation of cerebral blood flow.
    • It circulates from the lateral ventricles to the foramen of Monro (interventricular foramen), third ventricle, aqueduct of Sylvius (cerebral aqueduct), fourth ventricle, foramen of Magendie (median aperture), foramen of Luschka (lateral apertures), and the subarachnoid space over the brain and the spinal cord.
    • When CSF pressure is elevated, cerebral blood flow may be constricted.
    • This diagram indicates the (1) posterior medullary velum (2) choroid plexus (3) cisterna cerebellomedullaris of subarachnoid cavity (4) central canal (5) corpora quadrigemina (6) cerebral peduncle (7) anterior medullary velum (8) ependymal lining of ventricle (9) cisterna pontis of subarachnoid cavity
  • Blood Flow in the Brain

    • Cerebral circulation is the movement of blood through the network of blood vessels supplying the brain, providing oxygen and nutrients.
    • Cerebral circulation refers to the movement of blood through the network of blood vessels supplying the brain.
    • Since the brain is very vulnerable to compromises in its blood supply, the cerebral circulatory system has many safeguards.
    • The amount of blood that the cerebral circulation carries is known as cerebral blood flow (CBF).
  • Rome

    • Examples include the aqueducts of Rome, the Baths of Caracalla , basilicas, and the Roman Colosseum.
    • The Roman use of the arch, and their improvements in the use of concrete and bricks, facilitated the building of many aqueducts throughout the empire .
    • Because of this, the arch was employed in Roman aqueducts throughout the empire, and their survival is testimony to the durability of their materials and design.
  • Brain: Cerebral Cortex and Brain Lobes

    • The cerebral cortex of the brain is divided into four lobes responsible for distinct functions: frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital.
    • It includes the cerebral cortex, limbic system, basal ganglia, thalamus, hypothalamus, and cerebellum.
    • The outermost part of the brain is a thick piece of nervous system tissue called the cerebral cortex, which is folded into hills called gyri (singular: gyrus) and valleys called sulci (singular: sulcus).
    • Each hemisphere of the mammalian cerebral cortex can be broken down into four functionally- and spatially-defined lobes: frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital .
    • The human cerebral cortex includes the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes, each of which is involved in a different higher function.
  • Cerebral Cortex

    • The cerebral cortex is the outermost layered structure of the brain and controls higher brain functions such as information processing.
    • The cerebral cortex, the largest part of the mammalian brain, is the wrinkly gray outer covering of the cerebrum.
    • The cerebral cortex is considered the ultimate control and information-processing center in the brain.
    • Beneath the cerebral cortex is the cerebrum, which serves as the main thought and control center of the brain.
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