Ventricles, Meninges, CSF, and Blood Vessels of the Brain

Vocabulary flashcards covering the cranial meninges, spaces, dural venous sinuses, ventricular system, CSF flow, and cerebral blood supply based on lecture notes.

Cranial Meninges

The three protective connective tissue layers surrounding the brain, ordered from superficial to deep as dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater.

Periosteal Layer

The superficial layer of the dura mater in the skull that is absent in the vertebral column.

Meningeal Layer

The deeper layer of the dura mater in the skull that is continuous in the vertebral column as the dural sheath of the spinal cord.

Dural Septa

Double-layered folds formed by the meningeal layer of the dura mater that insert into brain fissures, including the falx cerebri, falx cerebelli, and tentorium cerebelli.

Dural Venous Sinuses

Spaces created where the two layers of the dura mater separate, containing venous blood from the brain veins and CSF returned from the subarachnoid space.

Extradural (Epidural) Space

A potential space located between the skull and the dura mater.

Subdural Space

A potential space located between the dura mater and the arachnoid mater.

Subarachnoid Space

An actual space between the arachnoid mater and pia mater that contains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood vessels around the brain.

Lateral Ventricles

Paired C-shaped ventricles in the brain that arise from the lumen of the telencephalon.

Third Ventricle

The brain ventricle located in the diencephalon, which receives CSF from the lateral ventricles via the interventricular foramen.

Cerebral Aqueduct

The narrow canal arising from the mesencephalon that connects the third ventricle to the fourth ventricle.

Fourth Ventricle

The ventricle arising from the metencephalon and myelencephalon that routes CSF to the subarachnoid space via median and lateral apertures, or to the central canal.

Choroid Plexus

A vascular structure found inside all ventricles that continually produces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from filtered blood.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

A specialized fluid filtered from blood that serves as a shock absorber, aids in transport of nutrients and removal of waste, and maintains proper ion balance in neural tissue.

Hydrocephalus

A clinical condition caused by an obstruction in the circulation of CSF, leading to fluid accumulation and compression of the brain.

Vertebral Arteries

Arterial vessels branching off the subclavian arteries that travel through transverse foramina and enter the skull through the foramen magnum to form the posterior circulation of the brain.

Internal Carotid Arteries

Arterial vessels branching off the common carotid arteries that enter the skull through the carotid canal and foramen lacerum to form the anterior circulation of the brain.

Circle of Willis

An important arterial anastomosis at the base of the brain formed by the anterior communicating artery, anterior cerebral arteries, internal carotid arteries, posterior communicating arteries, and posterior cerebral arteries.

Anterior Cerebral Artery

A terminal branch of the internal carotid artery that enters the longitudinal fissure to supply most of the medial and superior surfaces of the cerebral hemispheres.

Middle Cerebral Artery

A terminal branch of the internal carotid artery that passes between the temporal and frontal lobes to supply the lateral surface of the cerebral hemispheres.

Posterior Cerebral Artery

A terminal branch of the basilar artery that supplies the inferior surface of the cerebral hemispheres and all of the occipital lobes.