Brain - The skull

 
SKULL
2 groups of bones
 Cranium: further divided into calvarium (skullcap / roof) and cranial base
 Bones of the face
 
Cranium
 Formed by superior aspect of the skull
 Encloses and protects brain, meninges, cerebral vasculature
 Divided into roof (calvarium) and base (cranial base)
 Calvarium:
o Frontal, occipital, and 2 parietal bones
 Cranial base: (6 bones)
o Frontal, sphenoid, ethmoid, occipital, parietal, temoporal
o Articulation point for C1 Atlas, and facial bones + mandible
o Divided into 3 depressions/fossae
 
Cranial fossa
 Anterior cranial fossa: formed by frontal, ethmoid, and sphenoid bones
 Middle cranial fossa: formed by sphenoid, temporal, parietal bones
 Posterior cranial fossa: formed by squamous and mastoid temporal bone, plus occipital bone

 
 
Anterior cranial fossa
 Most shallow, superior of the 3 fossae
 Lies superiorly over nasal and orbital cavities
 Accommodates the anteroinferior portion of frontal lobes
 Bones: frontal, ethmoid, sphenoid
 Borders:
o Antero-lateral: inner surface of frontal
o Postero-medial: the "limbus" of the sphenoid bone
  Limbus: bony ridge that forms the anterior border of the prechiasmatic sulcus
(for optic chiasm)
o Postero-lateral: sphenoid
o Floor: frontal, ethmoid, sphenoid
 Contents:
o Frontal crest: bony ridge in middle of frontal bone
 Attachment for falx cerebri
o Crista galli (cock's comb lol): midline of ethmoid
 Attachment for falx cerebri
o Cribiform plate of the ethmoid: on either side of the crista galli
 Supports the olfactory bulb
 Transmits olfactory nerve fibers from nasal mucosa to olfactory bulb via
numerous small foramina
o Anterior clinoid process: the rounded ends of the "lesser wing" of the sphenoid bone
 Attachment for tentorium cerebelli (divides cerebrum from cerebellum)
 Medially: groove for internal carotid artery as it leaves cavernous sinus
 Lesser wings also separate anterior and middle cranial fossae
o Foramina:
o Anterior ethmoidal foramen: transmits anterior ethmoidal artery, nerve, vein
o Posterior ethmoidal foramen: transmits posterior ethmoidal artery, nerve, vein
 
Anterior cranial fossa summary
Structure Bone Relevance

Frontal crest Frontal Attachment for falx cerebri

Crista galli Ethmoid Attachment for falx cerebri

Cribiform plate Ethmoid Support olfactory bulb; olfactory nerve fibres from nasal
mucosa to olfactory bulb

Anterior ethmoidal Ethmoid Transmits anterior ethmoidal artery, nerve, vein

foramen

Posterior ethmoidal Ethmoid Transmits posterior ethmoidal artery, nerve, vein

foramen

Anterior clinoid process Sphenoid Attachment for tentorium cerebelli; medially, groove for
internal carotid artery
 
 
 
 
Middle cranial fossa
 "butterfly shaped"
 Middle part accommodates pituitary gland; 2 lateral parts accommodate the temporal lobes
 Bones: sphenoid and 2 temporal bones
 Borders:
o Antero-lateral: lesser wings of sphenoid
o Antero-medial: limbus of sphenoid bone
o Limbus: bony ridge that forms the anterior border of the chiasmatic sulcus
o Postero-lateral: superior border of petrous part of temporal bone
o Postero-medial: dorsum sellae of sphenoid bone
o Large superior projection of bone arising from sphenoidal body
o Floor:
o body and greater wing of sphenoid
o squamous and petrous parts of temporal
 Contents:
o Sella turcica: body of sphenoid bone
o Saddle-shaped bony prominence
o Holds and supports pituitary gland
o 3 parts:
 Tuberculum sellae (horn of saddle): vertical elevation of the bone; forms
anterior wall of sella, and the posterior aspect of the chiasmatic sulcus
 Hypophysial / pituitary fossa (seat of the saddle): depression in
sphenoid body, holds pituitary
 Dorsum sellae (back of saddle): forms posterior wall of sella turcica;
large square of bone, pointing upwards and forwards; separates middle cranial
fossa from posterior cranial fossa
o Surrounded by anterior and posterior clinoid processes - which serve as
attachment points of tentorium cerebelli
 Foramina in sphenoid:
o Optic canals: anteriorly in middle cranial fossa
o Transmit CN2, ophthalmic arteries into orbital cavities
o Connected by chiasmatic sulcus
o Superior orbital fissure: opens anteriorly into orbit
o Transmits CN3, 4, V1 (ophthalmic), 6, ophthalmic veins and sympathetic fibers
o Foramen rotundum: opens into pterygopalatine fossa
o Tansmits maxillary branch of 5 (V2)
o Foramen ovale: opens into infratemporal fossa
o Transmits mandibular branch of 5 (V3) and accessory meningeal artery
o Foramen spinosum: opens into infratemporal fossa
o Transmits middle meningeal artery, middle meningeal vein, and a meningeal
branch of CN V3
 Foramina in temporal:
o Hiatus of greater petrosal nerve:
o Greater petrosal nerve (branch of 7)
o Petrosal branch of middle meningeal artery
o Hiatus of lesser petrosal nerve:
o Lesser petrosal nerve (branch of 9)
o Carotid canal: located postero-medial to foramen ovale
 o Internal carotid artery
o Deep petrosal nerve
 Other foramen:
o Foramen lacerum: at junction of sphenoid, temporal, occipital bones
o Filled with cartilage; small blood vessels come thru
 
Structure Bone Relevance

Sella turcica Sphenoid Pituitary sits here

Dorsum sellae and posterior Sphenoid Posterior wall of sella; also separates mid
clinoid processes from posterior cranial fossa

Optic canal Sphenoid Optic nerve, ophthalmic artery and meninges

Superior orbital fissure Sphenoid V1, ophthalmic veins and sympathetics, CN3,
4, 6

Foramen rotundum Sphenoid Maxillary V2

Foramen ovale Sphenoid Mandibular V3

Foramen spinosum Sphenoid Middle meningeal artery and vein, and

meningeal branch of V3

Hiatus of greater petrosal Temporal Greater petrosal nerve; petrosal branch of

MMA

Hiatus of lesser petrosal Temporal Lesser petrosal nerve

Carotid canal Temporal Internal carotid artery

Foramen lacerum Sphenoid, temporal, Small blood vessels..

occipital
 
 
 
 
Posterior cranial fossa
 Most posterior + deep of the fossae
 Accommodates brainstem and cerebellum
 Bones: occipital, 2 temporal
 Borders:
o Antero-medial: borsum sellae of sphenoid bone
o Antero-lateral: superior border of petrous part of temporal bone
o Posterior: internal surface of occipital
o Floor:
o mastoid part of temporal bone
o Squamous, condylar, basilar parts of occipital
 Contents:
o Brainstem - which then continues down through foramen magnum to become SC
o Cerebellum
 Foramina of temporal bone
o Internal acoustic meatus: posterior aspect of temporal bone
o Transmsits CN7, 8, labyrinthine artery
 Foramina of occipital bone:
o Foramen magnum: largest foramen; transmits medulla, meninges, verts, spinal
accessory nerve, dural veins, ant/post spinal arteries
o Clivus: an incline; connects foramen magnum with dorsum sellae
o Jugular foramina: on either side of foramen
o CN9, 10, 11, internal jugular vein, inferior petrosal sinus, sigmoid sinus,
menigeal branches of pharyngeal + occipital arteries
o Hypoglossal canal: superior to anterolateral margin of foramen magnum
o CN12
o Cerebellar fossae: posterolateral to foramen magnum
o Internal occipital crest: divides cerebellar fossa; ridge of bone
 
Posterior cranial fossa summary
Foramen Bone Contents

Internal acoustic Temporal CN 7, 8, labyrinthine artery

meatus

Foramen magnum Occipital Medulla, meninges, vertebral arteries, CN11, dural veins, ant/post
spinal arteries

Clivus Occipital? An incline that connects foramen magnum with dorsum sellae

Jugular foramina Occipital CN 9, 10, 11, internal jugular vein, inferior petrosal sinus, sigmoid
sinus, menigeal branches of pharyngeal + occipital arteries

Hypoglossal canal Occipital CN 12

Cerebellar fossae Occipital Cerebellum

Internal occipital Occipital Ridge of bone that divides cerebellar fossa

crest
 

 
 
Facial skeleton / viscerocranium
 Is this relevant?

 
Sutures of the skull
 Suture: a type of fibrous joint unique to skull
o Immovable; fuse completely around age 20
o Can be potential weakness in childhood or adulthood
 Main sutures in adulthood:
o Coronal suture: fuse frontal bone with 2 parietal bones
o Sagittal suture: fuses both parietal bones to each other
o Lamboid suture: fuses occipital bone to 2 parietal bones
 Neonates:
o Incompletely fused suture joints give rise to membranous gaps between the bones -
fontanelles
o 2 main fontanelles:
 Frontal ~: junction of coronal and sagittal sutures
 Occipital ~: located at junction of sagittal and lamboid sutures
 
 

 
 
Cribiform CN1

Optic canal 2

SOF 3, 4, 6, V1

Rotundum V2
Ovale V3

Spinosum MMA

Lacerum Small bvs

Internal acoustic 7, 8

Jugular 9, 10, 11 (cranial)

Hypoglossal 12

Magnum 11 (spinal)