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As early anatomists attempted to classify parts of the brain, much attention was given to both the structure and function of the ventricles. Until the 16th century, it was widely accepted that there were three ventricles with different cognitive functions attributed to each segment1. The image below is an illustration from a German2 book published in 1525 by Hieronymus Brunschwig¹. The ventricles are depicted as three lobes, with different senses and cognitive functions assigned to different lobes¹.

This artifact is significant in that it shows the way in which early scientists were not only attributing sensory processing and other cognitive functions to take place in the brain, but how they were also considering the idea of localization of specific functions to specific brain areas. This artifact is also important in showing how scientists were attempting to investigate anatomical function.

Source: (1) https://cerebromente.org.br/n16/history/mind-history_i.html
(2)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00381-011-1417-x

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2. Da Vinci's Depictions of Ventricular Structure

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2. Da Vinci's Depictions of Ventricular Structure

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A large problem with investigating brain anatomy came from an inability to fix the brain to be thoroughly examined without destroying it¹. This artifact is a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci while in Milan from between 1508 and 1513, where realistically drew the structure of the ventricles of an ox¹. Da Vinci was able to overcome the issue of the brain's unstable consistency by filling the ventricles of the ox with hot wax, allowing the wax to cool, and then removing the hardened wax which had been molded into the shape of the ventricles¹. This was significant because Da Vinci created realistic looking drawings of the ventricles for the first time¹. He also showed the two lateral ventricles as separate from each other², which is accurate to our knowledge of ventricular structure today.

Source: (1) https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-30/april-2017/five-depictions-brain
(2)
https://cerebromente.org.br/n16/history/mind-history_i.html

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3. Discovery of the Contents of the Ventricles

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3. Discovery of the Contents of the Ventricles

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It was widely believed throughout much of history that the ventricles housed various spirits which compelled human behavior¹. This artifact is a painting by French artist Pierre Poncet from the 17th century, which depicts Andreas Vesalius investigating the muscles and nerves of a cadaver through dissection². This artifact is significant because it demonstrates Vesalius’ passion for dissection and examination of the nervous system, which significantly advanced knowledge of nervous system anatomy and stood to disprove many false ideas about brain anatomy that had previously been accepted as truth¹.

Source: (1) http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0120-00112017000300473#B11
(2)
https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/229107/view/andreas-vesalius-belgian-anatomist

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4. The Production and Purpose of Cerebrospinal Fluid

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4. The Production and Purpose of Cerebrospinal Fluid

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Once the structure of the ventricles was better understood, it became necessary to discover the origin and purpose of this cerebrospinal fluid that circulates our nervous system. The artifact below is an image from Thomas Willis’ book Cerebri anatome, published in London 1664, where he both drew and described very detailed elements of brain anatomy¹.

Willis’ passion for brain anatomy led him to discover the function of the choroid plexus, which produces cerebrospinal fluid². Willis also discovered one of the purposes of cerebrospinal fluid, which is to filter waste from the nervous system. This investigation into the production and purpose of cerebrospinal fluid is significant because it paved the way for  advancements to be made in the use of cerebrospinal fluid for diagnostic purposes.

Source: (1) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/joa.12273
(2) http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0120-00112017000300473#B11
(3)
https://archive.org/stream/cerebrianatomecu00will#page/n6/mode/1up

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As investigations into the anatomy of the brain continued, scientists began to discover the link between certain pathologies and the ventricles. The artifact below is a drawing from Niels Stenson’s 1673 letter on hydrocephalus, written after a dissection at a castle in Innsbruck, Austria in June of 1669¹. Stensen conducted a brain dissection of a calf who had obstructive hydrocephalus¹. He wrote that the disfigurement of the head had been caused by a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the lateral ventricles, and that the buildup had caused surrounding brain areas to be compressed¹. This letter is important because it is believed to be the first physiological explanation of hydrocephalus¹, and it was the beginning of further investigation into ventricle and cerebrospinal fluid related pathology.

Source:
(1)
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/0A0D745A8A77330BBC34FEFD3ACB22F8/S0317167100014566a.pdf/niels-stensen-a-17th-century-scientist-with-a-modern-view-of-brain-organization.pdf

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Phase-Contrast MRI to Depict Flow of Cerebrospinal Fluid

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Phase-Contrast MRI to Depict Flow of Cerebrospinal Fluid

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Still today, scientists are inventing creative ways to investigate the functioning of the ventricles and cerebrospinal fluid. The image below is from a 2011 study that describes a technique which can be used to image the flow of cerebrospinal fluid¹. The team used phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging to investigate CSF flow, which is influenced by both CSF production rate and superimposed cardiac pulsations¹.

By investigating CSF motion, researchers and physicians can gain insight into diseases such as communicating hydrocephalus, non-communicating hydrocephalus, Chiari malformation, syringomyelic cysts, and arachnoid cysts, which affect the flow of CSF¹. The prior accumulation of knowledge of the ventricles and CSF is what has enabled these groundbreaking technological advancements to be made.

Source:
(1) Battal B, Kocaoglu M, Bulakbasi N, Husmen G, Tuba Sanal H, Tayfun C. Cerebrospinal fluid flow imaging by using phase-contrast MR technique. Br J Radiol. 2011;84(1004):758-765. doi:10.1259/bjr/66206791

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3473435/

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Heinrich Quincke was a neurologist who contributed greatly to our modern medical knowledge, and specifically to knowledge of the use of cerebrospinal fluid¹. Quincke lived from 1842 to 1922² and graduated from medical school at the age of 21³. He contributed much knowledge about CSF-related conditions, and he developed the procedure to retrieve CSF through lumbar puncture and analyze it to aid diagnosis¹. Quincke used this new technique to study low sugar levels in bacterial meningitis and certain bacteria in tuberculous meningitis.

The contributions to the field of neuroscience made by Quincke depended on the analysis and discoveries related to the ventricular system and cerebrospinal fluid that were established before him.

Source:
(1) http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0120-00112017000300473#B11
(2)
https://www.medarus.org/Medecins/MedecinsTextes/quincke_heinrich.htm
(3)
https://acphospitalist.org/archives/2013/09/newman.htm