Interior of skull

The Cranial Fossae

Cranial fossa curving depression of the cranial floor Anterior cranial fossa formed by: frontal bone, ethmoid, lesser wing of the sphenoid; cradles the frontal lobes of the cerebral hemispheres Middle cranial fossa is formed by: sphenoid, temporal, parietal bones; cradles the temporal lobes of the cerebral hemispheres, the diencephalon, and mesencephalon Posterior cranial fossa is formed primarily by: occipital bone, with contributions from the temporal and parietal bones - suports the occipital lobes of the crebral hemispheres, the crebellum, and the pons and medulla oblongata (brain stem)

The Cranial Fossae

Interior of the Cranial Cavity

Cranial cavity: occupied by the brain Calvaria (skull cap): upper dome-like portion of skull Floor divided into anterior, middle, and posterior fossae Crista galli: prominent ridge in center of anterior fossa. Point of attachment for the dura mater (one of the meninges) Olfactory fossae lateral to crista galli. Olfactory bulb within Cribriform plate of the ethmoid forms floor of olfactory fossae Olfactory nerves pass through the foramina of the cribriform plate Sella turcica: part of sphenoid bone that houses the pituitary gland Foramen magnum: opening where brain attaches to spinal cord

Anterior cranial Fossa

The floor of the anterior fossa is formed by: Orbital plates of the frontal, Cribriform plate of the ethmoid

small wings and front part of the body of the sphenoid It is limited behind by the posterior borders of the small wings of the sphenoid and by the anterior margin of the chiasmatic groove. It is traversed by the frontoethmoidal suture sphenoethmoidal suture sphenofrontal sutures. The central portion corresponds with the roof of the nasal cavity, and is markedly depressed on either side of the crista galli. It presents, in and near the median line, from before backward, the commencement of the frontal crest for the attachment of the falx cerebri

Foramen cecum, The frontal crest of the frontal bone ends below in a small notch which is converted into a foramen, by articulation with the ethmoid It transmits a vein from the nose to the superior sagittal sinus

Crista galli, ridge behind the foramen cecum, the free margin of which affords attachment to the falx cerebri

Olfactory groove on either side of the crista galli, formed by the cribriform plate, Supports the olfactory bulb and presents foramina for the transmission of the olfactory nerves, In front a slit-like opening for the nasociliary nerve. Anterior ethmoidal foramen situated about the middle of the lateral margin of the olfactory groove, Transmits the anterior ethmoidal vessels and the anterior ethmoidal nerve

Posterior ethmoidal foramen

Opens at the back part of this margin under cover of the projecting lamina of the sphenoid transmits the posterior ethmoidal vessels and nerve

Middle cranial Fossa

Deeper than the preceding, is narrow in the middle, and wide at the sides of the skull. It is bounded in front by the posterior margins of the small wings of the sphenoid, the anterior clinoid processes, ridge forming the anterior margin of the chiasmatic groove; behind, by the superior angles of the petrous portions of the temporals and the dorsum sella

laterally by the temporal squama, sphenoidal angles of the parietals, and great wings of the sphenoid.

It is traversed by the
squamosal, sphenoparietal, sphenosquamosal, sphenopetrosal sutures.
Chiasmatic groove The superior surface of the body of the sphenoid bone is bounded behind by a ridge, which forms the anterior border of a narrow, transverse groove, the chiasmatic groove (optic groove) Tuberculum sella In the sphenoid bone, behind the chiasmatic groove is an elevation, the tuberculum sellae. sella turcica

Deep depression Behind the tuberculum sella Contains the fossa hypophyseos, which lodges the hypophysis, and presents on its anterior wall the middle clinoid processes Bounded posteriorly by a quadrilateral plate of bone, the dorsum sella, upper angles are surmounted by the posterior clinoid processes Gives attachment to the tentorium cerebelli, and below each is a notch for the abducent nerve On either side of the sella turcica is the carotid groove Optic foramen The optic foramen is the opening to the optic canal. Transmits the optic nerve and ophthalmic artery (with accompanying sympathetic nerve fibres) into the orbital cavity. Behind the optic foramen the anterior clinoid process is directed backward and medialward and gives attachment to the tentorium cerebelli

Superior orbital fissure

Bounded Above by the small wing Below, by the great wing, Medially, by the body of the sphenoid

Laterally by the orbital plate of the frontal bone. Transmits to the orbital cavity oculomotor, trochlear, ophthalmic division of the trigeminal, abducent nerves, some filaments from the cavernous plexus of the sympathetic, the orbital branch of the middle meningeal artery; From the orbital cavity Recurrent branch from the lacrimal artery to the dura mater, and the ophthalmic veins

Foramen rotundum
Behind the medial end of the superior orbital fissure Provides passage for the maxillary nerve. Foramen ovale At base of lateral pterygoid plate Through which passes mandibular nerve, accessory meningeal artery, & lesser petrosal nerve Foramen spinosum Posterior & somewhat lateral to foramen ovale Transmits middle meningeal vessels & small meningeal branch of mandibular Foramen lacerum At base of medial pterygoid plate in dried skull Not complete foramen in intact body, because its inferior part is covered over by

fibrocartilaginous plate, across superior (inner or cerebral) surface of which passes internal carotid artery. Carotid canal Inferior surface of petrous temporal bone is pierced by round opening. Internal carotid artery, coursing within canal, immediately takes right angle turn to reach side of foramen lacerum.

Hiatus for greater petrosal nerve (or hiatus of the facial canal) A shallow groove, sometimes double, leading lateralward and backward to an oblique opening for the passage of the greater superficial petrosal nerve petrosal branch of the middle meningeal artery.

Facial canal (also known as Fallopian Canal) is a Zshaped canal running through the temporal bone from the internal acoustic meatus to the stylomastoid foramen. In humans it is approximately 3 centimeters long, which makes it the longest human osseous canal of a nerve It is located within the middle ear region, according to its shape it is divided into three main segments:

the labyrinthine, the tympanic, and the mastoidal segment.

Posterior cranial Fossa

The posterior fossa is the largest and deepest of the three. It is formed by Dorsum sella and clivus of the sphenoid Occipital Petrous and mastoid portions of the temporals Mastoid angles of the parietal bones Crossed by the occipitomastoid suture parietomastoid sutures lodges the cerebellum, pons, and medulla oblongata.

Foramen magnum Posterior to basilar portion of occipital bone Transmits - Medulla oblongata & its membranes - Accessory nerves

- Vertebral arteries - Anterior & posterior spinal arteries - Ligaments connecting occipital bone with axis

Hypoglossal canal
Courses forward & laterally from inner aspect of occipital bone within cranium just above foramen magnum to opening that perforates occipital bone externally at lateral part of base of occipital condyle Transmits hypoglossal nerve & a branch of posterior meningeal artery

Jugular foramen is situated between the lateral part of the occipital and the petrous part of the temporal Anterior compartment inferior petrosal sinus Intermediate glossopharyngeal, vagus, & accessory nerves Posterior sigmoid sinus which leads to internal jugular vein, & some meningeal branches from occipital & ascending pharyngeal arteries

Internal auditory meatus (also internal acoustic meatus,) is a canal in the petrous part of the temporal bone of the skull that carries nerves from inside the cranium towards the middle and inner ear compartments Namely cranial nerve VII and cranial nerve VIII.