Brain

Question 1

Which cranial fossae house what parts of the brain?

Answer 1

• Anterior fossa = frontal lobe
• Middle fossa = temporal lobe
• Posterior fossa = cerebellum

Question 2

Main sutures of the skull in adulthood (and which bones they join)

Answer 2

• Coronal suture (frontal to parietals)
• Sagittal suture (parietal to parietal)
• Lambdoid suture (occipital to parietals)

Question 3

2 types of folds of the brain

Answer 3

• Sulcus (depression)
• Gyrus (ridge between 2 sulci)

Question 4

Main sulci of the brain (and what they separate)

Answer 4

• Longitudinal fissure (2 hemispheres)
• Central sulcus (frontal from parietal)
• Lateral sulcus (frontal + parietal from temporal)
• Parieto-occipital sulcus (parietal from occipital)

Question 5

2 divisions of the diencephalon

Answer 5

• Thalamus
• Hypothalamus

Question 6

What is the corpus callosum?

Answer 6

• Biggest white matter structure of the brain
• Connects 2 hemispheres of brain allowing communication

Question 7

Components of brain stem

Answer 7

• Midbrain
• Pons
• Medulla

Question 8

Ventricles of the brain

Answer 8

• Lateral ventricles
• Third ventricle
• Fourth ventricle

Question 9

Location of the ventricles

Answer 9

• LVs = in respective hemispheres
• TV = in between right and left thalamus
• FV = in brainstem at junction between pons and medulla

Question 10

How does CSF travel from lateral ventricles to third ventricle?

Answer 10

Through foramen of Monro (interventricular foramen)

Question 11

How does CSF travel from third to fourth ventricle?

Answer 11

Through cerebral aqueduct

Question 12

Where does CSF go from fourth ventricle?

Answer 12

• Central spinal canal
• Subarachnoid space

Question 13

3 layers of meninges

Answer 13

• Dura mater
• Arachnoid mater
• Pia mater

Question 14

2 layers of dura mater and where they are present

Answer 14

• Periosteal layer (lines bones of cranium - only in cranial cavity)
• Meningeal layer (deep to periosteal layer, in cranial cavity and vertebral column)

Question 15

What is the cauda equina?

Answer 15

• Formed of L2-5 and S1-5 pairs, and coccygeal nerve
• Nerves travel through vertebral column as spinal cord ends around L1 height