Skull Anatomy Lecture Review

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to the human skull, its bones, sutures, openings, and associated structures, as detailed in the lecture notes.

Skull

The most complex bony structure in the body, formed by cranial and facial bones.

Cranial bones (cranium)

Bones that enclose the brain in the cranial cavity and provide sites of attachment for head and neck muscles.

Coronal suture

A major suture of the skull.

Sagittal suture

A major suture of the skull.

Lambdoid suture

A major suture of the skull.

Squamous suture

A major suture of the skull.

Paranasal sinuses

Air-filled spaces found in the frontal, ethmoid(al), sphenoid(al), and maxillary bones.

Fetal fontanelles

Unossified remnants of fibrous membranes in an infant's skull, easing birth and allowing brain growth. Types include Anterior, Posterior, Sphenoidal (Anterolateral), and Mastoid (Posterolateral).

Facial bones

Bones that form the anterior aspect of the skull.

Cranium

The part of the skull that forms the rest of the skull, posterior to the facial bones.

Skull cavities

Include middle and internal ear cavities, nasal cavity, and orbits housing eyeballs.

Skull openings

85 named openings (foramina, canals, fissures) that provide passageways for the spinal cord, major blood vessels, and the 12 cranial nerves.

Occipital bone

Forms most of the skull's posterior wall and posterior cranial fossa, articulating with parietal, temporal, and sphenoid bones.

Foramen magnum

A 'large hole' in the occipital bone through which the brain connects with the spinal cord.

Occipital condyles

A pair of structures flanking the foramen magnum that articulate with the 1st vertebra.

External occipital protuberance

A protrusion just superior to the foramen magnum on the occipital bone.

External occipital crest

Ridges on the occipital bone that serve as sites of attachment for the ligamentum nuchae.

Superior and inferior nuchal lines

Sites of attachment for many neck and back muscles on the occipital bone.

Petrous region (Temporal bone)

A part of the temporal bone that houses the middle and internal ear cavities.

Internal acoustic meatus

A foramen penetrating the petrous region of the temporal bone.

Mastoid and styloid processes

Areas on the temporal bone for attachment of several neck and tongue muscles.

Sphenoid bone

A complex, bat-shaped 'keystone bone' that articulates with all other cranial bones.

Sphenoidal sinuses

Found within the body of the sphenoid bone.

Sella turcica

A prominence on the body of the sphenoid bone that includes the hypophyseal fossa.

Hypophyseal fossa

An area within the sella turcica of the sphenoid bone that encloses the pituitary gland.

Cribriform plate

Part of the ethmoid bone with cribriform foramina.

Crista galli

A superior projection of the ethmoid bone.

Perpendicular plate

Part of the ethmoid bone that forms part of the nasal septum.

Middle nasal concha

Part of the ethmoid bone, contributing to the lateral walls of the nasal cavity.

Sutural bones

Tiny, irregularly shaped bones that can appear within sutures; their significance is unknown.

Inferior orbital fissure

An opening in facial bones for nerves and blood vessels.

Infraorbital foramen

An opening in facial bones for nerves and blood vessels.

Incisive fossa

An opening in facial bones for nerves and blood vessels.

Zygomatic bones

Bones that form the cheekbones and inferolateral margins of the orbits, articulating with temporal, frontal, and maxillary bones.

Nasal bones

Bones that form the bridge of the nose, articulating with frontal, maxillary, and ethmoid bones and attaching to cartilage.

Lacrimal bones

Bones that form the medial walls of the orbits, articulating with frontal, maxillary, and ethmoid bones.

Lacrimal fossa

A depression in the lacrimal bone that houses the lacrimal sac, allowing tears to drain.

Zygomatic arch

Made from the zygomatic process of the temporal bone and the temporal process of the zygomatic bone.

Palatine bones

L-shaped bones made from two bony plates: horizontal plate (completes posterior one-third of hard palate) and perpendicular plate (forms part of posterolateral walls of nasal cavity and small part of orbits).

Vomer

A plow-shaped bone that forms part of the nasal septum.

Inferior nasal conchae

Paired bones that form part of the lateral walls of the nasal cavity; the largest of the three pairs of conchae.

Orbits

Cavities that encase the eyes and lacrimal glands, providing attachment sites for eye muscles; formed by frontal, sphenoid, zygomatic, maxilla, palatine, lacrimal, and ethmoid bones.

Functions of paranasal sinuses

Warm and humidify air, help to lighten the skull, and enhance resonance of the voice.

Hyoid bone

Not a skull bone, lies in the anterior neck inferior to the mandible; the only bone in the body that does not articulate directly with another bone. Acts as a movable base for the tongue and a site of attachment for swallowing muscles.

Infant skull

Has more bones than an adult skull, with unfused bones (e.g., mandible, frontal bones) connected by fontanelles.