Neuroanatomy L2: Biomechanics of the brain Flashcards
(49 cards)
What are the 3 components of the brain?
- Cerebral hemispheres
- brainstem (midbrain, pons , medulla)
- Cerebellum
Brain tissue is _____. What are the 4 components in brain tissue?
inhomogenous
- neurons (axons behave differnetly to cell body) and glial cells (more- contributes to biomechanics)
- grey matter
- white matter (axons- myelinated)
- 70% water
Why is brain tissue ___ (densely/sparsely) vascularised. Why?
Densely (vasculature affects behaviour)
What is perfusion?
how much it is perfused, blood volume

What are the 3 meningeal layers?
- Pia
- Subarachnoid
- Dura
What is the pia mater?
- Cloe to gyri
- very delicate
What is the subarchanoid mater?
close to dura
What are the different layers in the brain?
- Meningeal layers
- Subarachnoid space
- Potential spaces (extradural and subdural)

What happens if the menigeal artery is ruptured?
The epidural (extradural) space (which is normally a potential space) is created

What does the middle menigeal artery supply?
Dura mater

What happens if the bridging veins are ruptured?
Subdural space (normally a potential space) is created

What connects the cerebral vein and the venous sinus?
Bridging vein

What does the bridging vein do?
Connect the cerebral vein and the venous sinus (very delicate)

Is it a true or potential space? - Epidural - Subdural - Subarachnoid
potential; potential; true
What is parenchyma?
(substance of brain- grey and white) small arterioles and arteries
What are 3 types of hematomas that can occur, when a brain haemorrhage occurs?
- subarachnoid
- subdural
- epidural
What is the consequence of when cerebral arteries or veins rupture?
The blood readily mixes with the CFS
What are the 3 function of cerebrospinal fluid?
- provides buoyancy for the brain within the skull (1500g brain net weight ~50g)
- cushioning of mechanical forces
- provide good environment, transport

How does the CSF provide buoyancy for the brain within the skull?
mechanical function- to reduce about of mechanical force on brain

What is the purpose of the dural folds?
(leaves extra room for bleeding, tumour = increasing pressure of brain on skull
What are the 4 mechanical properties or brain tissue?
- Very soft
- Incompresisble
- Viscoelastic
- Very low permeability ~4 x 10-12 m4/Ns
Why is brain tissue very soft and how does it relate to being a mechanical property?
Able to be deformed low modulus of elasticity for compresios, shear and tension (modulus of elasticity- how much stress is required for relative amount of strain)
Why is brain tissue incompressible and how does it relate to being a mechanical property?
Made up of 70% water (which is incompressible) cannot decrease volume- but still soft
- Eg. if compressed vertically, it will expand radially/horizontally = no change in volume
Why is the brain tissue viscoelastic and how does it relate to being a mechanical property?
strain rate sensitive
- want to know about injuries which occur at high rates of strain











