The Third & Lateral

Ventricles, and Limbic

System
The Third Ventricle
-median cleft between two
thalami
-cavity of diencephalon, except
for area in front of
interventricular foramen
which is derived from median
part of telencephalon
-cavity is lined by ependyma.
Communications:
-anterosuperiorly, on each side,
communicates with lateral
ventricle through
interventricular foramen(or
foramen of Monro). This
foramen is bounded
anteriorly by column of fornix
& posteriorly by tubercle of
thalamus
-posteroinferiorly, in median
plane communicates with 4th
ventricle through cerebral
aqueduct.
Recesses:
-are the extention of cavity &
are:
*suprapineal
*pineal
*infundibular
*optic
Boundaries
-Anterior Wall: Lamina terminalis,
anterior commissure and anterior
column of fornix.-the two columns
of fornix diverge, pass downwards
& backwards,& sink into lateral
wall of 3rd ventricle to reach
mamillary body.
-Posterior Wall: Pineal body, posterior
commissure(in the lower lamina of
pineal stalk) & cerebral aqueduct.
-Roof: formed by ependyma lining
under surface of tela choroidea of
3rd ventricle.
-At jx. of roof with anterior & lateral
walls, there are interventricular
foramina.
-Floor: formed by hypothalamic
structures: Optic chiasm,
tubercinerium, infundibulum,
mamillary bodies, posterior
perforated substance &
tegmentum of midbrain.
At jx. of floor with anterior wall,
there is optic recess.
-Lateral Wall:-formed by medial
surface of thalamus
(posterosuperior part),
hypothalamus(anteroinferior
part) & hypothalmic sulcus
which separates thalamus
from hypothalmus extends
from interventricular foramen
to cerebral aqueduct.
-interthalamic adhesion connects
medial surface of two thalami
-habenular stria lies at jx. Of roof
and lateral vetricle & join
posteriorly at habenular
commissure
-columns of fornix run downward
& backward to reach
mamillary bodies.-lies
beneath lateral wall of
ventricle.
 The Lateral Ventricle
-two irregular cavities situated
one in each cerebral
hemisphere
-each lateral ventricle
communicates with third
ventricle through
interventricular foramina.
-each lateral ventricle consists of
* central part
* 3 horns( ant., post., & inf.)
Central Part:
-extends from interventricular
foramen in front of to the
splenium of corpus callosum
behind.
-Boundaries
* Roof: formed by undersurface
of corpus callosum
* Floor is formed (from lateral to
medial side) by body of
caudate nucleus, stria
terminals, thalamostriate vein
and lateral portion of upper
surface of thalamus.
*Medial wall: is formed by
septum
pellucidum & body of fornix.
Choroid Fissure:
-line along which choroid plexus
invaginates into central
ventricle is called choroid
fissure
-c shaped slit in medial wall of
cerebral hemisphere starts at
interventricular
foramen(above & in front) &
passes around thalamus &
cerebral peduncle to uncus.
-convex margin is bounded by
fornix( body and crus), fimbria
& hippocampus.
-concave margin is bounded by
thalamus(sup. & post.
surface), tail of caudate
nucleus & stria terminalis
-in central part of lateral
ventricle, choroid fissure is
narrow gap between edge of
fornix & upper surface of
thalamus. Gap invaginate by
choroid plexus.
Anterior horn:
-part of lateral ventricle which lies
in front of interventricular
foramen & extends into frontal
lobe.
-boundaries:
*anterior: posterior surface of genu
& rostrum of corpus callosum
*roof: anterior part of trunk of
corpus callosum
*floor: head of caudate nucleus
and upper surface of rostrum of
corpus callosum
*medial: septum pellucidum &
column of fornix.
Posterior Horn:
-part of lateral ventricle which
lies behind splenium of corpus
callosum & extends into
occipital lobe
-Boundaries:
*floor & medial wall: bulb of
posterior horn raised by
forceps major & calcar avis
raise by anterior part of
calcarine sulcus
*roof & lateral wall: Tapetum
Inferior horn:
-largest horn of lateral ventricle
begins a jx of central part with
posterior horn of lateral
ventricle & extends into
temporal lobe.
-Boundaries
*Roof(and lateral wall): chiefly
tapetum, tail of caudate
nucleus, stria terminalis &
amygdaloid body
*Floor: collateral eminence raise
by collateral sulcus &
hippcampus medially
 Limbic System
Introduction:
-parts of human brain controlling
behavioral patterns such as
aggression, rage, emotion, housing,
mating etc constitute limbic system
Constituent Parts:
-olfactory nerves, bulb tract, striae &
trigone
-anterior perforated substance
-pyriform lobe, consisting of uncus,
anterior part of parahippocampal
gyrus.
-posterior part of parahippocampal &
cingulate gyrus.
-hippocampal formation, including
hippocampus, dentate gyrus,
indusium griseum & longitudinal striae
-amygdaloid nuclei
-septal region
-fornix, stria terminalis, stria habenularis,
anterior commissure
Functions:
-controls food habits necessary
for survival
-controls sex behaviour
necessary for survival of
species
-controls emotional behaviour
expressed in form of joy &
sorrow, fear, fight &
friendship, & liking & disliking
Following are terms with their
components related to limbic system:
-Rhinencephalon: comprises of
*olfactory mucosa
*olfactory bulb
*olfactory tract-3 roots
1)medial root ends in subcallosal or
parolfactory gyrus
2)intermediate root ends in anterior
perforated substance & diagonal
band of Broca.
3)lateral olfactory root ends in pyriform
lobe(uncus, anterior part of
parahippocampal gyrus, cortex
region of limen insulae, dorsomedial
part of amygdaloid nucleus.
-limbic lobe: subcallosal gyrus,
cingulate gyrus &
parahippocampal gyrus.
-hippocampal formation:
hippocampus, dentate gyrus, part
of parahippocampal gyrus
-limbic system: limbic lobe,
hippocampal formation,
amygdaloid nucleus, hypothlamus,
anterior nucleus of thalamus
-connecting pathways: alveus,fimbria,
fornix, mamillothalamic tract, stria
terminalis
-papez circuit: hippocampal
formation, fornix, mamillary body,
cingulate gyrus.
 Clinical Anatomy

-Hippocampal-amygdala complex is related to memory of

recent events. Lesion of this complex are associated with a
loss of memory for recent events only. General intelligence
remains unaltered.
-Destructions of olfactory nerves result n loss of sense of
smell(anosmia). Tumor such as meningioma in the floor of
the anterior cranial fossa may press the olfactory bulb or
tract.
-Lesion that affects uncus & amygdaloid body may cause
uncinate fits characterised by imaginary disagreeable
odour, by movement of lips & tongue, and often by dreamy
state.