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Neuroscience > Skull anatomy > Flashcards

Skull anatomy Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two groups of bones that comprise the skull?

A

Bones of the cranium and bones of the face

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2
Q

What is the vault?

A

Upper cranium

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3
Q

What is the upper cranium called?

A

Vault

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4
Q

What is the floor?

A

Lower cranium/base of skull

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5
Q

What is the lower cranium/base of skull called?

A

Floor

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6
Q

Describe the structure of the bones of the skull?

A

External and internal tables of compact bone

Separated by a layer of spongy bone (ploie)

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7
Q

What is the ploie?

A

Layer of spongy bone that separates the internal and external tables of skull bones

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8
Q

List the three major sutures of the skull?

A

Coronal suture
Sagittal suture
Lambdoid suture

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9
Q

Where does the coronal suture run?

A

Anterior of two sutures in coronal plane

Articulation between frontal and parietal bones

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10
Q

Where does the sagittal suture run?

A

In the sagittal plane, between the left and right parietal bones

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11
Q

Where does the lambdoid suture run?

A

Posterior of sutures in coronal plane

Articulation between parietal and occipital bones

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12
Q

Describe the mobility of sutures?

A

They are immobile joints

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13
Q

What is the point where the coronal and sagittal sutures meet called?

A

Bregma

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14
Q

What is the point where the sagittal and lambdoid sutures meet called?

A

Lambda

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15
Q

What is the pterion?

A

H shaped suture formation on lateral aspect of skull where the frontal, parietal, temporal and sphenoid bones meet

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16
Q

Why can a fracture at the pterion be dangerous?

A

Thin bones at the pterion
Fracture easily
Middle meningeal artery lies here - sharp spike of bone can tear artery

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17
Q

What are the two parts of the frontal bone?

A

Vertical and horizontal

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18
Q

What facial structure does the vertical part of the frontal bone correspond to?

A

Forehead

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19
Q

What structure does the horizontal part of the frontal bone contribute to?

A

Rooves of orbits

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20
Q

What is the line of demarcation between the vertical and horizontal parts of the frontal bone called?

A

Supra-orbital margins

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21
Q

What is the supra-orbital margin?

A

Line of demarcation between the horizontal and vertical parts of the frontal bone

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22
Q

Describe the shape of the parietal bone?

A

Flat and rectangular

Moulded to brain shape

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23
Q

Describe the shape of the occipital bone?

A

Flat

Moulded to the posterior aspect of the brain

24
Q

What is the extra feature on the occipital bone?

A

External occipital protuberance

25
Q

List the components of the temporal bone?

A 
Squamous part
Zygomatic process
Mastoid process
Styloid process
Petrous part
26
Q

What is the forward projection of the temporal bone?

A

Zygomatic process

27
Q

Describe the zygomatic process of the temporal bone?

A

Projection that passes forward to articulate with zygoma

28
Q

What is the posterior projection of the temporal bone?

A

Mastoid process

29
Q

Describe the mastoid process of the temporal bone?

A

Posterior projection that is full of air cells

30
Q

What is the inferior projection of the temporal bone?

A

Styloid process

31
Q

Describe the styloid process of the temporal bone?

A

Deep, sharp, inferior projection

32
Q

What is the internal projection of the temporal bone?

A

Petrous part of temporal bone

33
Q

Describe the petrous part of the temporal bone?

A

Wedge shaped projection

Projects inward into cranium

34
Q

When can the sphenoid bone be seen fully?

A

When looking at the cranial base from above

35
Q

List the components of the sphenoid bone?

A

Body
Greater wing
Lesser wing

36
Q

What divides the greater and lesser wings of the sphenoid bone?

A

Superior orbital fissure

37
Q

What is the sella turcica?

A

‘Turkish saddle’

Depression in body of sphenoid where pituitary gland sits

38
Q

Describe the size and position of the greater and lesser wings of the sphenoid bone?

A

Greater - large, posteroinferior

Lesser- small, anterosuperior

39
Q

Where does the pituitary gland sit?

A

In the body of sphenoid

40
Q

Where does the ethmoid bone sit?

A

Between eyes

within frontal bone

41
Q

What facial structures does the ethmoid bone contribute to?

A

Orbit

Nose

42
Q

Which part of the ethmoid bone can be seen in the cranium?

A

Cribiform plate

43
Q

What runs through the cribiform plate?

A

Olfactory nerves

44
Q

What is the crista galli?

A

Vertical plate of bone that sits up between cribiform plates

45
Q

Describe the initial pathway of the cranial nerves?

A

Emerge from inferior aspect of brain and exit through foraminae in cranium

46
Q

What are the three fossae in the cranial floor?

A

Anterior cranial fossa
Middle cranial fossa
Posterior cranial fossa

47
Q

Which part of the brain does the anterior cranial fossa come into contact with?

A

Supports frontal lobes

48
Q

Which bones make up the anterior cranial fossa?

A

Horizontal plates of frontal bone with intervening cribiform plate of ethmoid
Lesser wings of sphenoid

49
Q

Which part of the brain does the middle cranial fossa come into contact with?

A

Supports temporal lobes

50
Q

Which bones make up the middle cranial fossa?

A

Body and greater wings of sphenoid

Petrous part of temporal bone

51
Q

Which part of the brain does the posterior cranial fossa come into contact with?

A

Supports occipital lobes and cerebellum

52
Q

Which bones make up the posterior cranial fossa?

A

Largely occipital bone

53
Q

Which foraminae lie in the anterior cranial fossa?

A

Cribiform plate

54
Q

Which foraminae lie in the middle cranial fossa?

A 
Optic canal
Superoir orbital fissure
Foramen rotundum
Foramen ovale
Foramen spinosum
(Foramen lacerum)
55
Q

Which foraminae lie in the posterior cranial fossa?

A

Internal auditory meatus
Jugular foramen
Hypoglossal canal
Foramen magnum

56
Q

Which cranial foraminae communicate with the orbit?

A

Optic canal

Superior orbital fissure

57
Q

Where does the optic canal lie?

A

In anterior cranial fossa, between body of sphenoid and lesser wing

Neuroscience (51 decks)

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