Meninges and headaches

Question 1

What muscle closes the jaw?

Answer 1

Temporalis

Question 2

What is the inferior attachment of the tendon attached to the temporals muscle?

Answer 2

Coronoid process of mandible

Question 3

What artery lies under the pterion?

Answer 3

Middle meningeal artery

Question 4

What substance makes up the brain and what is it separated by?

Answer 4

• gyrus

- sulcus

Question 5

Where does the visual cortex lie ?

Answer 5

At the back of the occipital lobe

Question 6

Where does the pituitary gland sit?

Answer 6

Comes of the midbrain

Question 7

How can a headache be caused by a tumour?

Answer 7

Tumours cause pain due to the increased pressure within the “closed box” of the skull

Question 8

What other factors can cause increased pressure in the skull?

Answer 8

• inflammation (creates more ECF) e.g. meningitis
• bleeding inside the skull
• hydrocephalus (increased CSF pressure)

Question 9

What is meningitis?

Answer 9

Inflammation of the protective covering for the brain and spinal cord

Question 10

What are the 3 layers of the meninges?

Answer 10

• Dura mater
• arachnoid mater
• pia mater

Question 11

What are the 2 layers of dura mater?

Answer 11

• periosteal

- meningeal

Question 12

What lies under the arachnoid mater?

Answer 12

subarachnoid space

Question 13

What are 2 examples of when the layers of dura are folded in on themselves?

Answer 13

• Falx cerebri

- tentorium cerebelli

Question 14

Where does the blood drain to from the triangular hole above the falx cerebri?

Answer 14

Confluence of venous sinuses

Question 15

What foramen does the middle menial artery enters the skull by?

Answer 15

Foramen spinosum

Question 16

What artery runs up the middle of the pons?

Answer 16

Basilar artery

Question 17

What connects the two anterior cerebral arteries?

Answer 17

Anterior communicating artery

Question 18

What is the direction of venous blood flow?

Answer 18

Superior saggital sinus> confluence of sinus>traverse sinus

Question 19

What is split by the tentorium cerebelli and drains into the transverse sinus?

Answer 19

The superior and inferior petrosal sinus

Question 20

What are the 4 ventricles in the brain?

Answer 20

2 Lateral ventricles
3rd ventricle
4th ventricle

Question 21

Where is cerebrospinal fluid made?

Answer 21

lateral ventricles

Question 22

What is the spinal cord filled with?

Answer 22

Cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF)

Question 23

How is cerebrospinal fluid absorbed?

Answer 23

Reabsorbed into the dural venous sinuses by specialised cells of the arachnoid mater called arachnoid granulations

Question 24

what can be caused by excessive production or inadequate reabsorption of CSF?

Answer 24

hydrocephalus

Question 25

Where are contents of the spinal canal absorbed?

Answer 25

arachnoid granulations

Question 26

Where does an extra-dural haemorrhage take place and what is it caused by?

Answer 26

• between the bone and the dura
• middle meningeal artery
• trauma to pterion

Question 27

Where does an sub-dural haemorrhage take place and what is it caused by?

Answer 27

• seperates dura from the arachnoid
• cerebral veins
• falls in elderly and those with alcohol problems

Question 28

Where does a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage take place and what is it caused by?

Answer 28

• in subarachnoid space where the CSF is
• circle of willis
• congenital aneurysm