THE HEAD - cranial fossae Flashcards
What is the posterior boundary of the anterior cranial fossa?
a line drawn along the lesser wing of the sphenoid, anterior clinoid processes, and sphenoidal jugum
What ostia are observed in the anterior cranial fossa?
cribriform plate, anterior and posterior ethmoid foramina and foramen cecum
What passes through the cribriform plate?
fila olfactoria of cranial nerve I, the olfactory nerve
What is the posterior boundary of the middle cranial fossa?
superior border of petrous part of temporal bone, posterior clinoid processes and dorsum sella of sphenoid bone
What prominent parts of the brain rest on the middle ranial fossa?
temporal poles of temporal lobes of cerebrum, hypophysis cerebri, optic chiasma
What bony feature is prominent in the median plane of the middle cranial fossa?
sella turcica
Which cranial nerves exit the skull via middle cranial fossa ostia?
cranial nerves II, III, IV, V and VI
What are the contents of the optic canal?
the optic nerve and opthalmic artery
What are the contents of the superior orbital fissure?
the opthalmic veins, the oculomotor nerve, the trochlear nerve, the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve, and the abducent nerve
The maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve exits the middle cranial fossa via which opening?
the foramen rotundum
What are the contents of the foramen ovale?
the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (Vc) and the lesser petrosal branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve
The mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve exits in the middle cranial fossa via which opening?
the foramen ovale
What are the contents of the foramen spinosum?
the nervus spinosus from the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve and the middle meningeal artery
What opening allows a branch of cranial nerve Vc to enter the middle cranial fossa from the infratemporal region?
the foramen spinosum
Which ostia will not exit the skull from the middle cranial fossa in the living person?
the foramen lacerum, the hiatus for the greater (superficial) petrosal neve and the hiatus for the lesser petrosal nerve
What forms the roof of the posterior cranial fossa?
the tentorium cerebelli
What part of the central nerve system occupies the posterior cranial fossa?
the cerebellum, pons, and medulla oblongata
Which cranial nerves exit posterior cranial fossa ostia?
cranial nerve VII (facial), VIII (vestibulocochlear/auditory), IX (glossopharyngeal), X (vagus), XI (spinal accessory) and XIII (hypoglossal)
Meningeal nerves in the foramen magnum are derived from which cord levels?
C1-C3 cord levels
Which arteries arise in the posterior cranial fossa and descend through the foramen magnum to supply the spinal cord?
anterior and posterior spinal arteries
What are the contents of the internal acoustic meatus?
cranial nerves VII (facial nerve) and VIII (vestibulocochlear/auditory nerve), the nervus intermedius/nerve of Wrisberg/sensory root of VII and the motor root of VII, the vestibular and cochlear roots of VIII and the internal auditory/internal labryinthine artery and vein
What are the contents of the jugular foramen?
the jugular bulb, the inferior petrosal sinus, the tympanic body/tympanic glomus or jugular body/jugular glomus, cranial nerves IX (glossopharyngeal), X (vagus), and XI (spinal accessory)
