Supporting Systems to the Brain and Spinal Cord Flashcards
What are the meninges and their function?
3 layers of connective tissue that act to cover the brain and the spinal cord.
- provide protection from contusion and infection
- Contains blood vessels and CSF
What is the Dura Mater?
Outer most meningeal layer
- lining the periosteum of the skull, protects the brain
What space is found between the Dura and the Arachnoid Mater?
Subdural Space
What is the Arachnoid Mater?
Middle meningeal layer!
- is impermeable
What space is found between the Arachnoid and the Pia Mater?
Subarachnoid Space
What is the Pia Mater?
Inner most meningeal layer
- forms the choroid plexus (part of the ventricle system)
What is meningitis and its clinical signs and symptoms?
Meningitis: inflammation of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord
- Often (Bacterial Meningitis)
- considered a medical emergency
Clincal signs and symptoms:
- Fever, headache, vomiting
- Complaints of stiff and painful neck
- Nuchal rigidity: simply refers to neck stiffness.
- Pain in (lumbar area) and (posterior thigh)
- Brudzinski’s sign*
- Kernig’s Sign*
- Light sensitivity
What is the gold standard for diagnosing meningitis?
Lumbar Puncture
What is Brudzinski’s Sign?
Flexion of the Neck facilitates Flexion of the Hips and Knees
What is Kernig’s Sign?
Pain with (Hip Flexion) combined with (Knee Extension)
Essentially a STRAIGHT LEG RAISE
What is the epidural space?
Area between the Skull and the Dura Mater.
Area between the Dura Mater and space between the Periosteum of the Vertebrae
What is the subdural space?
Area between the Dura and the Arachnoid mater
What is the subarachnoid space?
Area between the Arachnoid and the Pia mater
- contain the CSF and the Circulatory System of the cerebral cortex
What is the ventricular system?
Designed to protect and nourish the brain
- contains FOUR fluid filled cavities; called ventricles
- contains multiple foramina
- allows for the passage of CSF
- Each ventricle contains choroid plexus
forming CSF
What can an excess of CSF in the ventricles cause?
Hydrocephalus
- in the spinal cord excess of CSF is known as Syringomyelia