The liquid that flows through the cavities of the brain and spinal cord, providing a watery cushion and transporting nutrients, is what?

• A. Ventricles
• B. Brain Surface
• C. Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
• D. Meninges

Answer: (C)

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the liquid that flows through the cavities of the brain and around the spinal cord. It provides buoyancy and a protective cushion to delicate neural tissue, while also carrying nutrients to cells and helping remove waste. CSF is produced mainly by the choroid plexus inside the brain’s ventricles and moves through the ventricular system—from the lateral ventricles to the third and fourth ventricles—then circulates in the subarachnoid space around the brain and spinal cord. It is reabsorbed into the bloodstream via arachnoid villi into the dural venous sinuses. The other terms describe structures related to CSF but are not the fluid itself: ventricles are the hollow cavities that contain CSF; the brain surface is the outer layer; meninges are the protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord.