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Table 1 Short overview of the characteristics of the circumventricular organs

From: Permeability of the windows of the brain: feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of the circumventricular organs

 

Type

Location

Size [mm]

Primary function

Hormones

Ref.

NH

Secretory

Posterior part of the hypophysis originating from the floor of the third ventricle

1.0–2.9

Releasing hormones received from the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei

Vasopressin

Oxytocin

[2, 23]

ME

Secretory

Extension of the floor of the third ventricle

0.3

Hypophysial portal system: transporting hormones to the hypophysis

Vasopressin

Oxytocin

[2, 24]

PG

Secretory

Posterior wall of the third ventricle

1.7

Regulating circadian rhythms

Melatonin

[2, 6]

OVLT

Sensory

Rostral wall of the third ventricle

0.2

Water and sodium homeostasis and immune response

Angiotensin II

Cytokines

[2, 4, 6]

SFO

Sensory

Inferior surface of the fornix/roof of the third ventricle

0.3–0.6

Water and sodium homeostasis

Angiotensin II

[2, 6]

AP

Sensory

Floor of the fourth ventricle

0.5

Opening the central canal, cardiovascular and respiratory regulation and controlling the vomiting center

Substance P

[2, 4, 6]

  1. NH neurohypophysis, ME median eminence, PG pineal gland, SFO subfornical organ, OVLT organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis, AP area postrema