Neuroanatomy Flashcards
What are the meninges
Three membranous layers surrounding the brain and spinal cord
What are the 3 meningeal layers
Pia mater
Arachnoid mater
Dura mater
What are the features of the pia mater
Microscopic
Stuck to brain tissue- follows every fold
What are the features of the arachnoid mater
Translucent
Soft
Delicate
Space between this a pia is filled with CSF
Does not extend down sulci and lateral fissures
Blood vessels in this space
What are the features of the dura mater
Tough membranous
Potential space- arachnoid normally pushed up against it
Why is the dura like two ply tissue
Dura fuses with periosteum lining the inner table of skull
Periosteal layer
Meningeal layer
Spinal cord doesn’t have periosteal layer
When do the two dural layers seperate
At fold
At sinuses
What is the vertical plane dural fold called
Falx Cerebri
What is the horizontal plane dural fold called
Tentorium Cerebelli
What is the function of dural folds
Help stabilise the brain
What is the risk in raised ICP with the folds
Compression and displacement/herniation against dural folds and through foramen magnum
Where do venous sinuses drain into
Internal jugular
Name some dural venous sinuses
Superior, inferior, straight, transverse, sigmoid, cavernous, petrosal
What do bridging veins connect
Subarachnoid space to dural venous sinuses- transverse subdural space
What do emissary veins connect
Scalp to sinuses (through bone)
What is the extradural space
Between periosteal dura and inner table of bone
What is the subdural space
Between meningeal dural layer and arachnoid
Is the subarachnoid space potential or actual
Actual, has CSF and vessels
Where is the bleed in extradural bleed
Periosteal layer and bone
Where is the bleed in subdural
Dura mater and arachnoid
Where is the bleed in subarachnoid
Arachnoid and pia mater
What is an intracerebral haemorrhage
Bleeding within the brain tissue
What can bleeding lead to
Pressure and damage to tissue, brainsteamn and nerves
Example of common extradural haematoma
Middle meningeal artery due to it being near pterion which is the thinnest part of the bone
Specific shape cause of periosteal connection adhesion to sutures
What is the common cause of subdural haemorrhage
Venous bleed from bridging veins- snap with trauma - fills round until fold
What is the common presentation of subdural haemorrhage
Headache
Initially normal then gradual decline
Cause of subarachnoid bleed
Trauma
Spont rupture of vessel- aneurysm
Usually circle of willis
Blood mixes with CSF
CT 100% in 6hrs
What makes up the CNS
Brain, cerebellum and spinal cord
What makes up the PNS
Cranial nerves
What are the three parts of the brainstem
Midbrain
Pons
Medulla
What makes up the diencephalon
Hypothalamus
Thalamus x 2
What does the thalamus do
Act as relay station for sensory information from body
What is white matter vs grey matter
Grey out White inner Grey cell bodies White Axons- myelinated Grey where diencephalon is also
What does corpus callosum allow
Communication between hemispheres
What is the septum pellucidum
Thin membrane
Partition of lateral ventricles
Major functions of the brainstem
Relationship with cranial nerves
Midbrain- eye and pupil response
Pons- Sleep and eating
Medulla- primitive and essential- CV and resp
Main functions of temporal lobe
Language
Emotion
LT memory
Smell, hearing, taste
Major functions of frontal lobe
Voluntary motor control Speech Social Impulse control Higher cognition Primary motor cortex
Major functions of parietal lobe
Somatosensory perception- touch
Spatial awareness
Major functions of cerebellum
Coordination and motor learning
What control do spinal nerves have
Uni-cortical, contralateral
Is there is sparing of the forehead the cause is
Stroke as ipsilateral control comes in
Pathways connecting motor cortex to cranial nerves pass at
At the level of nuclei which they communicate
