Exam 2 - Meninges and Brain Blood Flow Flashcards
What structure is indicated by 2 on the figure below? What two things should be known about this structure?
- Pia Mater
- Pia Mater actually touches neurons and glial cells (essentially inseparable from neurons of cord)
- Pia Mater lies below the large blood vessels.
What structure is indicated by 3 on the figure below? What 2 things should be known about this structure?
The Arachnoid Mater
- Superficial to larger blood vessels with CSF in between arachnoid mater and pia mater
- Connected to dura with very little space in between dura and arachnoid.
What structure is indicated by 5 on the figure below? What two things should be known about this structure?
The Dura Mater of the spinal cord
- The dura mater is the outermost and strongest layer
- The dura mater has no space in between it and the arachnoid mater
What is the potential space between the arachnoid and dura mater called?
Sub-dural space, there is nothing there.
How far out do the spinal meninges go?
To the spinal nerves (end of CNS)
What space is indicated by 2 in the figure below? What inhabits this space?
Subarachnoid space
CSF and blood vessels
What space is indicated by 1 below? What 2 things inhabit this space? What are considerations if this space is accessed?
Epidural space
- Adipose Tissue - Could absorb lipophilic drugs and delay onset and offset
- Epidural Veins - Could bleed or transport drug elsewhere
What space is indicated by 3 in the figure below?
Arachnoid Mater
What space is indicated by 4 in the figure below?
Spinal Dura Mater
What structure is indicated by 1 in the figure below? Why is this a good location for spinals?
The Cauda Equina
There is no cord, faster onset than epidurals, nerves tend to move out of the way if needle is inserted too deep
What is the indicated structure? What does this indicate?
Conus medularis
The end of the spinal cord at L1
What structure is shown by 1 in the C spine below? Why is the spinal cord thicker here? Where do the nerves feed to?
C3 - C6 Cervical Enlargement
Heavy Innervation to upper body
Brachial Plexus
What is the indicated structure and where is it located?
Why is the cord larger here?
What do these nerves feed into?
T11-L1 Lumbosacral enlargement
Lots of innervation to the lower extremities
Sciatic nerve and lumbar plexus
Where does the dura mater end?
It covers all of the nerve roots to the end of the cauda equina and stops at the spinal nerves.
What structure is indicated by 2 in the figure below? What does this connect?
Filum Terminale Externa (extension of pia mater)
Connects end of dural sac to coccyx to anchor it in place
What structure is indicated by 1 in the figure below? What does this connect?
Filum Terminale Interna (extension of pia mater)
The conus medularis to the end of the dural sac
What structure is indicated by 2 in the figure below? What level is this at?
Dural Sac Termination at S2
What structure is indicated by 3 in the figure below? What is contained here?
Dural Sac or Lumbar Cistern
CSF
What is the concept being shown with images 1 and 2?
The difference between the Conus Medularis (CM) in an adult at L1 and the CM in a newborn at L2).
Bones grow faster than the cord lengthens
What needs to be known about the CSF in the dural sac?
It is furthest from the source of CSF (brain) and is not replenished as often because CSF circulation ends at the end of the cord.
What structure is indicated by 3? What is its function?
Arachnoid trabeculae
Creates subarachnoid space for blood vessels and CSF
What is indicated by number 10?
Dura mater
Note its thickness
What is number 11 and 1? Why are these related?
Cranial bone and epidural hematoma
A fracture of the skull, which contains many arterial vessels, can lead to an epidural hematoma which is an areterial bleed
What is 9? What is it made from?
Subdural hematoma
Venous blood from dural sinus tearing
What is number 7? What type of bleed is associated here?
Subarachnoid space
Subarachnoid hemmorage from arterial bleed
What is normal CSF pH? Why?
pH: 7.31
Bicarbonate concentrations are lower than plasma, can’t buffer CO2 as well
What is Na+, Cl-, K+, and Mg++ concentrations in CSF? What do these contribute to?
Na+: 140, equal to plasma
Cl-: 140, equal to Na (higher than plasma)
K+: 40% lower than plasma
Mg++: Higher than plasma
Hyperpolarization of the brain, helping to reduce it’s activity
What is normal CSF glucose? Why?
60 mg/dL
Glucose is brought from plasma by GLUT-1 transporters. It is used readily and not stored in neurons. Also not insulin dependent and glucose just moves down its concentration gradient.
What is normal circulating volume of CSF? How fast is it replaced?
150 mL
500 mL/day (replaced about 3 times per day)
What is the tissue called that is made of ependymal cells? Where are these located?
Choroid plexus
In each of the 4 ventricles
Describe how ependymal cells create CSF? How can anesthetics impair this?
They are leaky to Na, Cl, and H20 on the blood side. On the brain side, Na is pumped across by Na pump. This creates a gradient that allows Cl and H2O to follow (this makes up our CSF).
Anesthetics can slow down or speed up the Na pump and change the rate of CSF production.
What structure is indicated by 2 on the figure below?
Left Lateral Ventricle
What structure is indicated by 2 on the figure below? What structure is this near?
The 3rd ventricle
Diencephalon
What is the circled structure?
The 4th ventricle
What structure is indicated by 1 on the figure below? What should be known about this structure?
The two Foramen of Monroe (interventricular foramen)
This is where CSF flows from the two lateral ventricles into the 3rd ventricle.