Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small opening connecting brain ventricles: The interventricular foramen is a small anatomical passage. It connects the third ventricle, located in the diencephalon, with the lateral ventricle, located in a cerebral hemisphere. There is one such foramen on both the right and left sides of the brain.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Cerebrospinal fluid flows from the lateral ventricle into the third ventricle through the interventricular foramen.
  • A blockage of the interventricular foramen can lead to a condition called hydrocephalus.

Advanced Usage

• "Foramen of Monro": This is an alternative name for the interventricular foramen, named after the Scottish physician Alexander Monro.
  • The surgeon carefully avoided the region near the foramen of Monro.

Variants and Related Words

• Foramen (n): A general term for a natural opening or passage, especially in a bone or between body cavities.

  • The sciatic nerve passes through the greater sciatic foramen.

• Ventricle (n): A fluid-filled cavity in the brain or heart.

  • The left ventricle of the heart pumps oxygenated blood to the body.

Synonyms

• Foramen of Monro: The primary synonym, used interchangeably in medical contexts.
• Interventricular foramina: The plural form of the term.

Related Phrases and Terms

• Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation: The interventricular foramen is a key structure in the pathway of CSF flow within the brain.
• Obstructive hydrocephalus: A condition often caused by the obstruction of pathways like the interventricular foramen.

Noun

1. the small opening (on both the right and left sides) that connects the third ventricle in the diencephalon with the lateral ventricle in the cerebral hemisphere