CHAPTER 15 - Book Review Questions

Question 1

The following general statements concern the meninges:

(a) The cisterna cerebellomedullaris lies between the inferior surface of the cerebellum and the roof of the fourth ventricle and contains lymph.
(b) The arachnoid mater is permeable to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
(c) The CSF in the arachnoid villi is able to drain into the venous sinuses through small tubules lined with endothelial cells.
(d) The arachnoid mater surrounding the spinal cord ends inferiorly on the filum terminale at the level of the lower border of the first sacral vertebra.
(e) The extradural space that separates the dural sheath of the spinal cord and the walls of the vertebral canal contains the external vertebral venous plexus.

Answer 1

C is correct.

• The CSF in the arachnoid villi is able to drain into the venous sinuses through small tubules lined with endothelial cells (see Fig. 16-18). A. The cisterna cerebellomedullaris is filled with CSF and lies between the inferior surface of the cerebellum and the roof of the fourth ventricle. B. The arachnoid mater is not permeable to CSF. D. The arachnoid mater surrounding the spinal cord ends inferiorly on the filum terminale at the level of the lower border of the second sacral vertebra (see Fig. 15-9). E. The extradural space that separates the dural sheath of the spinal cord and the walls of the vertebral canal is filled with loose areolar tissue and contains the internal vertebral venous plexus (see Fig. 1-3).

Question 2

The following statements concern the tentorium cerebelli:

(a) The free borcler is attached anteriorly to the posterior clinoid processes.
(b) It is formed from the meningeal layer of the dura
mater.
(c) It separates the cerebellum from the temporal
lobes of the brain.
(d) The sigmoid sinus Iies within its attached border
to the occipital bone.
(e) The anterior edge houses the occipital venous sinus.

Answer 2

B is correct.

• The tentorium cerebelli is formed from the meningeal layer of the dura mater (see Fig. 15-3). A. The free border of the tentorium cerebelli is attached anteriorly to the anterior clinoid processes of the sphenoid bone. C. The tentorium cerebelli separates the cerebellum from the occipital lobes of the brain. D. The sigmoid sinus does not
  lie within the free border of the tentorium cerebelli. E. In the anterior edge of the tentorium cerebelli is the tentorial notch (see Fig. 15-4).

Question 3

The following statements concern headache:

(a) Brain tissue is insensitive to pain.
(b) Intracranial pain arises from receptors situated in the pia mater.
(c) An expanding cerebral tumor located in the posterior cranial fossa would produce pain referred to the face.
(d) Migraine headache is believed to be due to dilation of the cerebral veins.
(e) Headaches associated with presbyopia are due to tonic spasm of the frontalis muscles of the forehead.

Answer 3

A is correct.

• Brain tissue is insensitive to pain. B. lntracranial pain arises from receptors situated in the dura mater. C. An expanding cerebral tumor located in the posterior cranial fossa would produce pain referred to the back of the neck. D. Migraine headache is believed to be due to dilation of cerebral arteries and branches of the external carotid artery. E. Headaches associated with presbyopia are due to tonic spasm of the ciliary muscles of the eyes.

Question 4

The following statements concern the subarachnoid space:

(a) It is filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
(b) It extends inferiorly as far as the fourth sacral vertebra.
(c) The cerebral arteries and veins are not located in the subarachnoid space.
(d) The cranial nerves lie outside the subarachnoid space in sheaths derived from the dura mater.
(e) The arachnoid villi project into the venous sinuses as large outpouchings of the subarachnoid space.

Answer 4

A is correct.

• The subarachnoid space is filled with CSF. B. The subarachnoid space extends inferiorly as far as the second sacral vertebra (see Fig. 15-9). C. The subarachnoid space contains the cerebral arteries and veins. D. The cranial nerves lie inside the subarachnoid space. E. The arachnoid villi project into the venous sinuses as minute outpouchings of the subarachnoid space.

Question 5

The following statements concern the cavernous sinus:

(a) The external carotid artery passes through it.
(b) Its medial wall contains the oculomotor, trochlear, and ophthalmic divisions of the trigeminal nerve.
(c) It drains directly posteriorly into the straight sinus.
(d) It does not communicate with the facial vein.
(e) It is related medially to the pituitary gland and the sphenoid air sinus.

Answer 5

E is correct.

• The cavernous sinus is related medially to the pituitary gland and the sphenoid air sinus (see Fig. 15-5). A. The cavernous sinus has the internal carotid artery and the abducens nerve passing through it (see Fig. 15-5). B. The cavernous sinus has the oculomotor, trochlear, and ophthalmic divisions of the trigeminal nerve in its lateral wall (see Fig. 15-5). C. The cavernous sinus drains posteriorly into the superior and inferior petrosal sinuses (see Fig. 15-1). D. The cavernous sinus has an important clinical communication anteriorly via the superior ophthalmic vein with the facial vein.

Question 6

The following structure limits rotatory movements of the brain within the skull:

(a) Tentorimm cerebelli
(b) Diaphragma sellae
(c) Falx cerebri
(d) Dorsum sellae
(e) Squamous part of the temporal bone

Answer 6

C is correct.

• The falx cerebri limits rotatory movements of the brain within the skull.

Question 7

The following nerves are sensory to the dura mater:

(a) Oculomotor nerve
(b) Trochlear nerve
(c) Sixth cervical spinal nerve
(d) Trigeminal nerve
(e) Hypoglossal nerve

Answer 7

D is correct.

• The trigeminal nerve is an important sensory nerve to the dura mater within the skull.

Question 8

The following statements concern the meninges of the brain:

(a) Both layers of the dura mater covering the brain are continuous through the foramen magnum with the dura covering the spinal cord.
(b) The periosteal layer of dura mater is not continuous with the sutural ligaments of the skull.
(c) As each cranial nerve passes through a foramen in the skull, it is surrounded by a tubular sheath of arachnoid mater only.
(d) The cranial venous sinuses run between the meningeal and endosteal layers of dura mater.
(e) The meninges extend anteriorly through the optic canal and fuse with the periosteum of the orbital cavity.

Answer 8

D is correct.

• The cranial venous sinuses run between the meningeal and endosteal layers of dura mater (see Flg. 15-3). A. The periosteal (endosteal) layer of dura covering the brain is continuous through the foramen magnum with the periosteum outside the skull; only the meningeal layer of dura covering the brain is continuous through the foramen magnum with the dura covering the spinal cord (see Fig. 15-3). B. The periosteal layer of dura mater is continuous with the sutural ligaments of the skull. C. As each cranial nerve passes through a foramen in the skull, the cranial nerve is surrounded by a tubular sheath of pia, arachnoid, and dura mater (see Fig. 15-2). E. The meninges within the skull extend anteriorly through the optic canal and fuse with the sclera of the eyeball (see Fig. 15-8).