Lateral ventricles

The lateral ventricles are part of the ventricular system of the brain. Classified as part of the telencephalon, they are the largest of the ventricles.

The lateral ventricles connect to the central third ventricle through the interventricular foramen of Monro.

Clinical significance
The volume of the lateral ventricles are known to increase with age. They are also enlarged in a number of neurological conditions and are on average larger in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and Alzheimer's disease.

Divisions
Each lateral ventricle has three horns:
 * the anterior or frontal horn extends into the frontal lobe
 * the posterior or occipital horn into the occipital lobe
 * the inferior or temporal horn into the temporal lobe

The body of the lateral ventricle is the central portion, just posterior to the frontal horn. The trigone of the lateral ventricle is a triangular area defined by the temporal horn inferiorly, the occipital horn posteriorly, and the body of the lateral ventricle anteriorly. The cella media is the central part of the lateral ventricle. Ependyma cover the inside of the lateral ventricles and are epithelial cells.

Development
The lateral ventricles, similarly to other parts of the ventricular system of the brain, develop from the central canal of the neural tube. Specifically, the lateral ventricles originate from the portion of the tube that is present in the developing prosencephalon, and subsequently in the developing telencephalon. During the first trimester of pregnancy the central canal expands into lateral, third and fourth ventricles, connected by thinner channels. In the lateral ventricles, specialized areas - choroid plexuses - appear, which produce cerebrospinal fluid. If its production is bigger than reabsorption or its circulation is blocked- the enlargement of the ventricles may appear and cause a hydrocephalus. Fetal lateral ventricles may be diagnosed using linear or planar measurements.