N4 CNS Meninges, Ventricles, Blood Supply

Question 1

The meninges of the brain are ____

Answer 1

Connective tissue layers

Question 2

What are the three meningeal spaces and what are their features?

Answer 2

Epidural: above dura matter
Subdural: between dura and arachnoid
Subarachnoid: inside arachnoid layer, filled with CSF and blood vessels

Question 3

Two meningeal spaces are considered potential spaces while the other is a real space, which are which?

Answer 3

Epidural and subdural are potential while subarachnoid is an actual space

Question 4

What are the three layers of meninges?

Answer 4

Dura matter (thickest)
Arachnoid (web like)
Pia matter (thin)
These are listed from outside to inside

Question 5

The spinal cord is also surrounded by meningeal layers, these are ….

Answer 5

Dura matter
Arachnoid matter
Pia matter
These are the same as the brain

Question 6

The spinal cord has two special connections that help maintain its position, what are they and what are their connections?

Answer 6

1. Filum terminale internum: anchors spinal cord to dural sac, inside meningeal layer
2. Filum terminale externum: anchors dural sac to vertebral column, outside meningeal layer

Question 7

The spinal cord also contains a meningeal space that is filled with CSF, what is the space called?

Answer 7

Subarachnoid

Question 8

What are dural reflections?

Answer 8

Areas where dura matter separates part of the brain

Question 9

What are the three main dural reflections?

Answer 9

Falx cerebri: separates the cerebral hemispheres into left and right
Tentorium cerebelli: separates the occipital lobe and the cerebellum
Falx cereblli: separates the cerebellum into left and right hemispheres

Question 10

What are the unpaired dural venous sinuses?

Answer 10

Superior sagittal sinus, inferior sagittal sinus, vein of Galen, straight sinus and confluence of sinuses

Question 11

What are the paired dural venous sinuses?

Answer 11

Transverse sinus, sigmoid sinus, cavernous sinus

Question 12

What is the purpose of the dural venous sinuses?

Answer 12

Drain blood from the brain back to the heart

Question 13

The internal jugular vein is where the majority of the blood drains back to the ___

Answer 13

Heart

Question 14

What path does blood follow through the dural venous sinuses?

Answer 14

Superior sagittal sinus > Inferior sagittal sinus > confluence of sinuses > transverse sinus > sigmoid sinus > internal jugular vein

Question 15

How does CSF flow through the ventricular system?

Answer 15

2 Lateral ventricles > interventricular foramen > third ventricle > cerebral aqueduct (of Sylvius) > fourth ventricle > foramina of Magendle and Luschka > brain or spinal cord

Question 16

Where is CSF produced?

Answer 16

Choroid plexuses that line all four ventricles

Question 17

What is the general flow of CSF through the CNS?

Answer 17

Ventricles > subarachnoid space > dural venous sinuses

Question 18

What sinus is mainly responsible for returning CSF back into the blood supply?

Answer 18

Superior sagittal sinus

Question 19

What is hydrocephalus?

Answer 19

Build-up of fluid in the ventricles in the brain

Question 20

What are the two types of hydrocephalus?

Answer 20

1. Obstructive (non-communicating)
2. Communicating

Question 21

What occurs during obstructive or non-communicating hydrocephalus?

Answer 21

CSF flow is obstructed within the ventricular system
Example: tumor causing aqueductal stenosis (narrowing of the cerebral aqueduct)

Question 22

What occurs during communicating hydrocephalus?

Answer 22

CSF flow is not obstructed within the ventricular system
Example: overproduction of CSF or poor reabsorption of CSF

Question 23

What type of issues could hydrocephalus lead to?

Answer 23

Cortical damage due to pressure on brain tissue

Question 24

Blood supply is provided to the cerebrum through ___ of ____ that is mainly supplied by the ____ ___ arteries and the ____ artery

Answer 24

Circle of Willis
Internal carotid arteries
Basilar artery

Question 25

What are the additional arteries of the Circle of Willis besides the internal carotid arteries and the basilar artery>

Answer 25

Posterior cerebral, posterior communication, middle cerebral, anterior cerebral and anterior communicating arteries

Question 26

The middle cerebral artery supplies which part of the cerebrum?

Answer 26

Lateral cerebral hemispheres

Question 27

The anterior cerebral artery supplies which part of the cerebrum?

Answer 27

Medial frontal and parietal lobes

Question 28

The posterior cerebral artery supplies which part of the cerebrum?

Answer 28

Medial temporal and occipital lobes

Question 29

The lenticulostriate arteries are deep vascular territories that branch off ____ and supply ____

Answer 29

Branch off the middle cerebral artery Supplies globus pallidus, putamen, caudate nucleus (basal nuclei) and internal capsule

Question 30

The thalamoperforating and thalamogenicualte arteries are deep vascular territories that branch off the ___ and supply ____

Answer 30

Posterior cerebral artery Supply the thalamus

Question 31

Blood supply is provided to the midbrain via the ___ artery

Answer 31

Posterior cerebral artery

Question 32

Blood supply is provided to the pons via the ___ arteries

Answer 32

Basilar artery, superior cerebellar artery, anterior inferior cerebellar artery

Question 33

Blood supply is provided to the medulla via the ___ arteries

Answer 33

Vertebral artery, anterior spinal artery, PICA (posterior inferior cerebellar artery), posterior spinal artery

Question 34

Blood supply is provided to the cerebellum via the ___ arteries

Answer 34

Superior cerebellar artery, AICA (anterior inferior communicating artery), PICA (posterior inferior communicating artery) All the artery names contain the word cerebellum

Question 35

Blood supply is provided to the spinal cord via the ___ arteries

Answer 35

Anterior spinal artery, posterior spinal artery All arteries have the word spinal in them

Question 36

What is an epidural hematoma?

Answer 36

Pooling of blood in the epidural space that creates space between the dura and the skull Leads to headache, confusion, lethargy

Question 37

What is a subdural hematoma?

Answer 37

Blood pools in the innermost part of the dura Leads to either absent symptoms or headache, confusion and lethargy (like an epidural hematoma)