The Cranial Meninges and CSF Flashcards
Membranous brain coverings made up of three layers.
Meninges
The tough, dense outer covering of the central nervous system.
Dura Mater
Thin, delicate membrane laden with blood vessels.
Arachnoid Mater
A thin membrane indistinguishable from the surface of the cortex on the cerebrum.
Pia Mater
Separates the cerebral hemispheres from the cerebellum
Tentorium Cerebelli
Separates the two cerebellar hemispheres along the midsagittal line inferior to the tentorium cerebelli.
Falx Cerebri
Completely surrounds and bathes the exposed surfaces of the CNS.
Cerebrospinal Fluid
The Vascular complex in the roof of the third and fourth ventricles of the brain, responsible for the production of cerebrospinal fluid.
Choroid Plexuses
Sites where CSF is absorbed into the venous circulation.
Arachnoid Villi
Isolates the CNS from the chemicals and hormones circulating in the blood.
Blood-Brain Barrier
From the superficial to deep, name the layers that constitute the cranial meninges.
The dura mater, the arachnoid mater, the pia mater.
What would happen if the normal circulation or absorption of CSF became blocked?
CSF would continue to be produced at the choroid plexuses in each ventricle, but the fluid would remain there, causing the ventricles to swell.
How would decreased diffusion across the arachnoid granulations affect the volume of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles?
This would increase the volume of CSF in the ventricles, because less CSF would re-enter the bloodstream. That increased pressure could damage the brain.
