Unit 2 - Meninges of the Brain and Spinal Cord

Arachnoid Mater

- a thin membrane that has the appearance of a spider web -located between the dura mater and pia mater -has thin strands that extends from it and attached to the pia mater and through the dura mater and attaches to the dural sinuses (called granulations)

Subarachnoid Space

- fluid-filled space between the arachnoid mater and the pia mater - filled with CSF -that circulates through the CNS

Cerebral Cortex

- intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center. -made of gray matter

Spinal Cord

- one of the two pieces of the CNS - a major part of the central nervous system which conducts sensory and motor nerve impulses to and from the brain

Dura Mater

- the outermost layer protecting the brain and spinal cord -tough, white, dense connective tissue that contains blood vessels and nerves -most durable layer of the meninges -attached to the inner surface of the cranial bones and forms the internal periosteum so there is no space between the skull and this tissue -continues without breaking around the brain and spinal cord (one piece)

Subdural Space

- the space that normally is not seen but has the potential to fill with cerebrospinal fluid between the dura mater and arachnoid mater if there is damage to the dural sinuses. -also can collect blood causing a subdural hematoma

Meninges

- three layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord

Arachnoid Villus

-fingerlike projections that reach into the Superior Sagittal Sinus to return CSF to venous blood through the dural sinuses

Pia Mater

-the innermost of the meninges -a very thin membrane that contains blood vessels and nerves - lies on the surface of the brain and spinal cord, following the contours and is undetachable