ANATOMY-SKULL

Question 1

what are the 2 distinct structural parts of the skull?

Answer 1

the neurocranium and the viscerocranium

Question 2

what is the neurocranium?

Answer 2

the protective shell around the brain and the brain stem

made up of the frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal, occipital, temporal and parietal bones

Question 3

what is the viscerocranium?

Answer 3

it is formed by the bones supporting the face
formed by the mandible, inferior nasal conchae, nasal lacrimal (inner eye), vomer (separates nasal cavity into r and l), ethmoid (roof of nasal cavity), zygomatic and palatine (back of roof of mouth) bones

Question 4

what is the calvaria?

Answer 4

the top part of the skull

Question 5

what is the basicranium?

Answer 5

the inferior region of the skull

Question 6

what are pneumatic bones?

Answer 6

bones which contain air filled cavities within them to create sinuses. e.g. maxilla, frontal, sphenoid and ethmoid bones.

Question 7

name the bones of the skull

Answer 7

frontal, ethmoidal, inferior concha, lacrimal, mandible, maxilla, nasal, parietal, sphenoid, temporal, vomer, zygomatic and occipital

Question 8

what is the coronal suture?

Answer 8

a cranial future between the parietal and frontal bones

Question 9

what is the sagittal suture?

Answer 9

a suture between the 2 parietal bones

Question 10

what is the temporoparietal suture?

Answer 10

suture between parietal and temporal bones

Question 11

what is the parietomastoid suture?

Answer 11

a suture between the lower border of the parietal bone and the mastoid process of the temporal bone

Question 12

what is the occipitomastoid suture?

Answer 12

a cranial suture between the occipital bone and the mastoid process of the temporal bone

Question 13

what is the pterion?

Answer 13

an H-shaped suture formed by the union of the frontal, temporal, sphenoid and parietal bones. it sits above the zygomatic arch.

Question 14

what is the temporomandibular joint?

Answer 14

a synovial joint with articular surfaces covered by fibrocartilage that connects the mandible to the skull.

Question 15

what are the attachments to the temporalis muscle?

Answer 15

the temporal fossa (the depression in the temporal region) and the coronoid process (the triangular protection above the angle of the jaw)

Question 16

what are the attachments to the masseter muscle?

Answer 16

the zygomatic bone and arch, the angle and lateral surface of the mandible.

Question 17

what are the attachments to the lateral pterygoid muscle?

Answer 17

the infra temporal surface and the crest of the greater wing of the sphenoid. the lateral surface of the lateral pterygoid plate.

Question 18

what are the attachments to the lateral pterygoid muscle?

Answer 18

the medial surface of the lateral pterygoid plate, the internal surface of the ramus of the mandible and the angle of the mandible.

Question 19

how is the infant skull different to the adult skull?

Answer 19

it has a relatively small viscerocranium in comparison to the neurocranium.

Question 20

what are fontanelles?

Answer 20

soft, membranous gaps between cranial bones that make up the calvaria of a foetus or infant

Question 21

why do infants/foetus’ have fontanelles?

Answer 21

to enable moulding of the head to allow for vaginal delivery and to facilitate remodelling of the skull as the brain develops.

Question 22

what are the 4 fontanelles?

Answer 22

anterior (top front), posterior (bottom back), sphenoidal (along side middle) and mastoid (back side)