Fourth

Ventricle
Dr. Muhammad Rafique
Anatomy, DIMC,
 Objectives
Know location of fourth ventricle
Recognize the boundaries of fourth
ventricle
Discuss the features of lateral boundaries
Describe the features of roof and floor
Discuss the circulation of CSF
Know abnormal condition related to
circulation of CSF
 Gross Anatomy
Fourth ventricle is the cavity
of hind brain. It is present
behind the pons and upper
half of medulla oblongata
and infront of cerebellum.
The fourth ventricle is a tent
shaped cavity filled with
cerebrospinal fluid. It is
lined with ependyma and
continuous above with
cerebral aqueduct and below
with central canal of
medulla oblongata
 Boundaries of Fourth Ventricle
The boundaries of
fourth ventricle are
Two lateral
boundaries: Right
& Left
Roof with Tela
Choroidea
Floor or Rhomboid
Fossa
 Lateral Boundaries
Each lateral
boundary consists
of two parts:
Inferior Part:
Formed by Inferior
Cerebellar
Peduncle
Superior Part:
Formed by Superior
cerebellar
peduncle
 Roof or Posterior Wall
The inferior part of the roof is
formed by the inferior
medullary velum, which
formed by the thin sheet of
ventricular ependyma along
with the Pia Mater.
This part of roof contains a
large aperture in the mid
line the median aperture or
foramen of Magendie
which connects the
ventricular with sub-
arachnoid space
 Roof or Posterior Wall
The roof of fourth
ventricle extends
toward the cerebellum.
The superior part is
formed by medial
borders of two superior
cerebellar peduncles
and connecting sheet
of white matter called
the superior medullary
velum.
 Tela Choroidea
The Tela Choroidea of the
fourth ventricle is a
double layer of pia mater
that lies in the interval
between the cerebellum
and the lower part of the
roof of ventricle. In this
region the blood vessels of
the tela choroidea form
rich vascular fringe that
projects through the lower
part of the roof of the
fourth ventricle to form
the choroid plexus
 Tela Choroidea
In the lower part of roof of fourth
ventricle the cavity of ventricle
extends laterally over the
surface of inferior cerebellar
peduncle to form the lateral
recess of the ventricle. The
lateral recess on each side
opens into sub-arachnoid space
by a lateral aperture or
Foramen Luschka. Cavity of 4th
ventricle communicates with
sub-arachnoid space through a
single median opening a & two
lateral apertures. These
openings permit the flow of
CSF fro ventricular system to
sub-arachnoid Space
 Floor or Rhomboid Fossa
The floor is formed by the
posterior surface of the
pons the posterior surface
of upper half of the
medulla oblongata. The
floor is divided into
symmetrical halves by the
median sulcus. On each
side of sulcus there is an
elevation the medial
eminence which bounded
laterally another sulcus, the
sulcu Limitan.
 Floor or Rhomboid Fossa
Lateral to the sulcus limitans
there is an area the
vestibular area which
overlies the vestibular
nuclei.
Facial colliculus is a slight
swelling at the inferior end
of the medial eminence that
is produced by the fibers
from the motor nucleus of
the facial looping over the
abducens nucleus.
 Floor or Rhomboid Fossa
The nerve fibers, the
stria medullaris,
derived from the
arcuate nuclei
emerge from the
median sulcus and
pass laterally over
the medial eminence
and the vestibular
area and enter the
inferior cerebellar
peduncle to reach the
cerebellum
 Floor or Rhomboid Fossa
Inferior to the stria medullaris
the features recognized in
the floor of the fourth
ventricle are:
Most medial is the
Hypoglossal Triangle
which indicates the
position of Hypoglossal
Nucleus.
Lateral to this is the Vagal
Triangle overlies the dorsal
motor nucleus of vagus
nerve
 Floor or Rhomboid Fossa
Area Postrema
ia a narrow
area between
the vagal
triangle and
the lateral
margin of the
ventricle
Choroid Plexus of Fourth Ventricle
The function of
choroid plexus of
the fourth ventricle
is to produced the
CSF. The choroid
plexus consists of
ependymal cells, Pia
mater and blood
capillaries. The
ependymal cells are
responsible for the
secretion of CSF
 Hydrocephalus
It is can be defined as the
abnormal increase in
volume of CSF with in
skull. This can be
occurred due to increase
formation of CSF or
decrease drainage of
CSF, this can occur in
condition like the
blockage of foramina in
the roof of fourth
ventricle
This may congenital or
acquire