title: The cerebral ventricles. From soul to sink.
abstract: The early concept that the cerebral ventricles harbor the soul began to break down only in the Renaissance. Thanks to determined anatomical studies and physiological considerations regarding the role played by the cerebrospinal fluid, the function of the ventricles was reduced to merely being a receptacle for metabolic waste.
authors.affiliation: Department of the History of the Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schiller
mesh_terms: D000716:Anatomy, Artistic / Q000266:history; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000502:physiology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D008488:Medical Illustration / Q000266:history; D009462:Neurology / Q000266:history*