Neuroanatomy - Meninges

11 important questions on Neuroanatomy - Meninges

The CNS is wrapped in meninges (connective tissue sheets), how many and what are their names?

3 layers.
The dura mater, follows the contours of the bony surround and is very hard and stiff.
The arachnoid membrane, which is very soft.
The pia mater, which follows the contours of the CNS and is also very soft.

How are the arachnoidea and pia mater together called?

Leptomeninx

Which spaces are between the mininges? (meningual spaces)

  • Epidural space between the bone and dura mater. This space is virtual, but can become real under extreme circumstances (lesion)
  • Subdural space between the dura mater and arachnoid membrane. This space is virtual 
  • Subarachnoid space (present all the time) between the arachnoid space and the pia mater. Blood vessels are located in this space
  • Higher grades + faster learning
  • Never study anything twice
  • 100% sure, 100% understanding
Discover Study Smart

What is the function of the subarachnoid space

It is filled with CSF and this serves as shock absorption. This layer lies between the dura mater and arachnoid membrane.

What keeps the spinal cord in the middle of the spinal cavity?

Denticulate ligaments

Inside the skull, the dura mater consists of two layers, which two?

1. Periosteal layer - attached to the bone
2. Meningeal layer - dura mater proper

What are dural duplicatures?

Areas where the two layers of the dura mater (periosteal and meningeal layer) are not attached to each other.

Which dural duplicatures excist?

1. Falx cerebri - between the two hemispheres, prevents the movement of the two hemispheres
2. Tentorium cerebelli - between the cerebrum and cerebellum. Prevents the cerebrum to lower

What are the three levels/floors of the skull?

Anterior cranial fossae
Middle cranial fossae
Posterior cranial fossae

Inside the dural duplicatures are venous collectors located, how are they named?

These are veins, but their wall does not consist of media/adventitia but of dura. This is why they are named differently, namely sinuses.

Which big sinuses excist?

Inferior, superior, cavernous, straight, sigmoid, and transverse sinus. The cavernous sinus is the cooling organ in certain animals.

The blood in the inferior and superior sagittal sinus flows to the confluence sinuum (junction between inferior and superior). From their, the blood flows in one of the two transverse sinuses. From the transverse sinus it flows into the sigmoid sinus and then into the jugular vein.

So, there are two transverse, sigmoid sinuses and two jugular veins.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

  • A unique study and practice tool
  • Never study anything twice again
  • Get the grades you hope for
  • 100% sure, 100% understanding
Remember faster, study better. Scientifically proven.
Trustpilot Logo