Membranes Basics
Meninges are a triple-layer membrane that helps hold your brain in place.
The inside of your skull bones have many boney processes protruding out. The meninges surround the brain and provide a cushioning layer around it, and anchor to these processes. This allows the brain to be suspended inside the skull and not touch the top, sides, or bottom.
This setup is partly contributes to concussions. When the head experiences a large enough impact, the suspended brain crashes into the bone of the skull.
Meninges encase your brain and spinal cord to protect them.
Three layers
- Dura mater (mah-ter, not may-ter): durable and thick, contains large blood vessels. This is the layer that anchors directly to the skull bones. Membrane that divides hemispheres, separates a few lobes, and coats glands near the brain.
- Arachnoid mater (yes, like spiders): wispy like spider webs – thin & transparent. Directly in contact with Dura mater, but has cellular pillars that connect it to the Pia mater. The cerebrospinal fluid flows around these pillars. Also overs the outside of the part of the brain as a whole.
- Pia mater – delicate, contains the capillaries that nourish the brain. Is in direct contact with brain cells – following all the contours and wrinkles of the brain.
Subarachnoid space – hold cerebrospinal fluid (a closed fluid system that insulates and cushions the brain and spinal cord). Doesn’t mix with blood or lymph system.
Connect with me
Support us on Patreon
*NEW* Join the Pharmacist Answers Podcast Community on Facebook
Subscribe: iTunes, Stitcher, GooglePlay, TuneIn Radio
Music Credits: “Radio Martini” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/