Editing Ventricular system (section)

== Clinical significance ==
The narrowness of the cerebral aqueduct and foramina means that they can become blocked, for example, by blood following a hemorrhagic stroke. As cerebrospinal fluid is continually produced by the choroid plexus within the ventricles, a blockage of outflow leads to increasingly high pressure in the [[lateral ventricle]]s. As a consequence, this commonly leads in turn to [[Hydrocephalus#Noncommunicating|hydrocephalus]]. Medically one would call this post-haemorrhagic acquired hydrocephalus, but is often referred to colloquially by the layperson as "water on the brain". This is an extremely serious condition regardless of the cause of blockage. An [[endoscopic third ventriculostomy]] is a surgical procedure for the treatment of hydrocephalus in which an opening is created in the floor of the [[third ventricle]] using an [[endoscope]] placed within the ventricular system through a [[burr hole]]. This allows the [[cerebrospinal fluid]] to flow directly to the [[basal cisternae|basal cisterns]], thereby bypassing any obstruction. A surgical procedure to make an entry hole to access any of the ventricles is called a [[ventriculostomy]]. This is done to drain accumulated cerebrospinal fluid either through a temporary catheter or a permanent shunt.{{cn|date=January 2024}}

Other diseases of the ventricular system include inflammation of the membranes ([[meningitis]]) or of the ventricles ([[ventriculitis]]) caused by [[infection]] or the introduction of [[blood]] following trauma or [[haemorrhage]] ([[cerebral haemorrhage]] or [[subarachnoid haemorrhage]]).

During [[embryogenesis]] in the [[choroid plexus]] of the ventricles, [[choroid plexus cysts]] can form.

The [[scientific method|scientific]] study of [[Computed tomography|CT scan]]s of the ventricles in the late 1970s gave new insight into the study of [[mental disorder]]s.  Researchers found that individuals with [[schizophrenia]] had (in terms of group averages) larger than usual ventricles. This became the first "evidence" that schizophrenia was [[Biology|biological]] in origin and led to a renewed interest in its study via the use of [[Imaging technology|imaging techniques]]. [[Magnetic resonance imaging]] (MRI) has superseded the use of CT in research in the role of detecting ventricular abnormalities in psychiatric illness.

Whether enlarged ventricles is a cause or a result of schizophrenia has not yet been established. Enlarged ventricles are also found in organic [[dementia]] and have been explained largely in terms of environmental factors.<ref name=Peper2007>{{Cite journal | last1 = Peper | first1 =  Jiska S. | year = 2007 | title = Genetic influences on human brain structure: A review of brain imaging studies in twins | journal = Human Brain Mapping | volume = 28 | pages = 464–73 | doi = 10.1002/hbm.20398 | pmid = 17415783 | last2 = Brouwer | first2 = RM | last3 = Boomsma | first3 = DI | last4 = Kahn | first4 = RS | last5 = Hulshoff Pol | first5 = HE | issue = 6| pmc = 6871295 }}</ref> They have also been found to be extremely diverse between individuals, such that the percentage difference in group averages in schizophrenia studies (+16%) has been described as "not a very profound difference in the context of normal variation" (ranging from 25% to 350% of the mean average).<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Allen JS, Damasio H, Grabowski TJ  |title=Normal neuroanatomical variation in the human brain: an MRI-volumetric study |journal=American Journal of Physical Anthropology |volume=118 |issue=4 |pages=341–58 |date=August 2002 |pmid=12124914 |doi=10.1002/ajpa.10092 }}</ref>

The [[cave of septum pellucidum]] has been loosely associated with [[schizophrenia]],<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Galarza M, Merlo A, Ingratta A, Albanese E, Albanese A |title=Cavum septum pellucidum and its increased prevalence in schizophrenia: a neuroembryological classification |journal=The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=41–6 |year=2004 |pmid=14990758 |doi=10.1176/appi.neuropsych.16.1.41}}</ref> [[post-traumatic stress disorder]],<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=May F, Chen Q, Gilbertson M, Shenton M, Pitman R |title=Cavum septum pellucidum in monozygotic twins discordant for combat exposure: relationship to posttraumatic stress disorder |journal=Biol. Psychiatry |volume=55 |issue=6 |pages=656–8 |year=2004 |pmid=15013837 |doi=10.1016/j.biopsych.2003.09.018 |pmc=2794416|url=https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/28527471/nihms162099.pdf?sequence=1 }}</ref> [[traumatic brain injury]],<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Zhang L, Ravdin L, Relkin N, Zimmerman R, Jordan B, Lathan W, Uluğ A |title=Increased diffusion in the brain of professional boxers: a preclinical sign of traumatic brain injury? |journal=American Journal of Neuroradiology |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=52–7 |year=2003 |pmid=12533327|pmc=8148951 }}</ref> as well as with [[antisocial personality disorder]].<ref name="Adrian Raine 2010 p.110"/>  CSP is one of the distinguishing features of individuals displaying symptoms of [[dementia pugilistica]].<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = McKee | first1 = AC | last2 = Cantu | first2 = RC | last3 = Nowinski | first3 = CJ | last4 = Hedley-Whyte | first4 = ET | last5 = Gavett | first5 = BE | last6 = Budson | first6 = AE | last7 = Santini | first7 = VE | last8 = Lee | first8 = HS | last9 = Kubilus | first9 = CA | last10 = Stern | first10 = RA | date = Jul 2009 | title = Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in athletes: progressive tauopathy after repetitive head injury | journal = Neuropathol Exp Neurol | volume = 68 | issue = 7| pages = 709–35 | doi = 10.1097/NEN.0b013e3181a9d503 | pmid=19535999 | pmc=2945234}}</ref>