meninges

Brain Bleeds [Show Notes]

 in Brain / Podcasts  tagged brain bleed / epidural / extracranial / intracerebral / intracranial / intraventricular / meninges / subarachnoid / subdural / thunderclap headache by

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Your brain is held inside your skull by a tri-layer membrane called the meninges.  These membranes and all the other structures in your brain are nourished by blood vessels, and different circumstances will make these vessels at risk of rupturing.

*ALL BRAIN BLEEDS REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION!* 

Brain bleeds are classified based on the membrane they are closest to.  They can be caused by physiological malformations, stroke or aneurism from age or disease, or trauma.

From the outside in

  • Extracranial bleed: (extra = external; cranial = cranium = skull bones), between your skin and your skull.  Doesn’t affect your brain, there is more room for it to stretch.
  • Intracranial bleed: (intra = internal); bleeds inside the skull increase the intracranial pressure and requires medical intervention.  Main goal is to reduce intracranial pressure so brain cells aren’t pressed on and damaged.
    • Epidural (yep, that place they put the anesthesia for women having babies, except it’s in the spinal cord): Epi = above, Dural = Dura mater, that topmost, durable layer of the meninges.  Between the skull and the dura mater.
    • Subdural: Sub = under; blood leaks in between the dura mater and the arachnoid mater, which are normally in close contact, so the separation causes pain.
    • Subarachnoid: under the arachnoid mater. Normally, under the arachnoid layer is the subarachnoid space which contain cerebral spinal fluid (CSF).  People who have had a subarachnoid bleed and survived, describe hearing a “thunderclap”.  Officially called a “thunderclap headache”.  It’s like they can hear the blood vessel pop and experience extreme pain all over their head all at once.  Described as “the worst headache of my entire life”.  Because the pia mater under the subarachnoid space lays directly on top of the brain cells and follows all the grooves and wrinkles of the brain, this type of bleed will require emergent attention and possible surgery.
  • Intracerebral: cerebral = cerebrum, the main part of your brain
  • Intraparenchymal: Parenchyma = organ tissue, means it’s right up against the brain cells
  • Intraventricular: Ventricles = pockets inside the brain that make, hold, and reabsorb CSF.  The deepest part of the brain.

*ALL BRAIN BLEEDS REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION!* 

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Music Credits:  “Radio Martini” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Membranes [Show Notes]

 in Brain / Podcasts  tagged arachnoid / brain / dura mater / membranes / meninges / pia mater by

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.

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Music Credits:  “Radio Martini” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)  Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/