Inclusive Anatomy
Historical Timeline
2nd Century C.E.
2nd Century C.E.
Galen & Early Anatomists
Galen described the floor of the fourth ventricle, including the calamus scriptorius, but prevailing theories of “animal spirits” limited investigation into ventricular communication with surrounding spaces.[2]
1764
Domenico Cotugno
Domenico Cotugno described the presence of a watery fluid surrounding the spinal cord, contributing significantly to the early understanding of what would later be recognized as cerebrospinal fluid.[2]
1825-1828
François Magendie
Reinier de Graaf characterized the paraurethral ducts in females as the pathway through which lubricating fluid exits, enhancing arousal at the introitus in his work "De Mulierum Organis Inservientibus." He coined the term "Mulierum Prostatae" for these glands.[2]
1842
François Magendie
In Recherches physiologiques et cliniques sur le liquide céphalo-rachidien ou cérébro-spinal, Magendie further detailed the ventricular system, the subarachnoid spaces, and the boundaries of the opening near the calamus scriptorius.[2]
1855
Hubert von Luschka
Hubert von Luschka described the lateral apertures of the fourth ventricle and clarified the role of the choroid plexus in CSF production.[2]
Present
Axel Key and Gustaf Retzius
Injection studies demonstrated fluid movement through the median aperture, reinforcing the anatomical communication between the ventricular system and subarachnoid space.[3]
1875
Eponym:
The median aperture of the 4th ventricle is eponymously known as the Foramen of Magendie, named after François Magendie (1783-1855), a French physician, anatomist, and physiologist. He was born in Bordeaux, France, and later completed his medical education in Paris.[1] Magendie became one of the leading experimental physiologists of the 19th century and served as a professor at the College de France in Paris. Magendie conducted much of his scientific work in France, where he published extensively on physiology and neuroanatomy.[1]
Scientific Contributions:
Magendie’s experimental investigations into cerebrospinal fluid were the foundation of modern neurophysiology. In 1825, he published findings demonstrating the presence of fluid within the cranial and spinal cavities. In 1828, he identified an opening at the inferior end of the fourth ventricle connecting the ventricular system to the subarachnoid space.[1]
He referred to this structure as the orifice des cavités encéphaliques (opening of the encephalic cavities).[1] Although he initially misinterpreted the direction of CSF flow, he correctly established the physical communication between the ventricular system and the subarachnoid compartment.[2] His work laid the foundation for understanding CSF circulation and ventricular anatomy. The median aperture was later named the Foramen of Magendie in recognition of his discovery.
Francois Magendie - Image Obtained From: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)
References
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Engelhardt E. Magendie and Luschka: holes in the 4th ventricle. Dement Neuropsychol. 2016;10(3):254‑258. doi:10.1590/S1980‑5764‑2016DN1003015.
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Ciołkowski M, Sharifi M, Tarka S, Ciszek B. Median aperture of the fourth ventricle revisited. Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2011;70(2):84-90. https://journals.viamedica.pl/folia_morphologica/article/viewFile/19311/15204
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Spierer R. The debated neuroanatomy of the fourth ventricle. J Anat. 2023;243(4):555-563. doi:10.1111/joa.13885.
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