Protecting the CNS: Spinal Cord Edition
As previously stated, your CNS is made up of your brain and your spinal cord. You don't want to mess that up. If not for the protection we have, we'd be stuck in a nice padded place with helmets on 24-7.Ā
TheĀ skullĀ is something you should know unless you are under the age of 5. TheĀ vertebral columnĀ is line of 24 bones (your vertebrae) protecting the NS
TheĀ MeningesĀ is found between the skull and brain, and between the spinal cord and vertebral column. The three layers are:
1) Dura Mater. it's thick durable and flexible. It's the outermost layer of the meninges, but is actually two thin layers of tissue with a 'dural sinus' in between that allows for blood to go from brain to heart.Ā
2) Arachnoid Mater. It's a thin and weblike (hey! webs! spiders! duh.) layer of tissue and has 'subarachnoid space' below it that is filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
3) Pia Mater. the last and closest layer to the brain is a thin membrane under the subarachnoid space.Ā
Fucking with the meninges can cause meningitis. bacteria, viruses, or fungi can inflame the meninges and cause excruciating pain. Try not to get it.
And last but not least is theĀ Ventricular System.Ā
So you got 4 different ventricles. TheĀ lateralĀ ventricles (which are ventricles 1 and 2, the people naming these were too wishy-washy to decide which was which.) Then the 3rd and 4th ventricle. The ventricular system contains and creates cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which is something that resembles the plasma in your blood.Ā And you know what? fuck the ventricular system because the notes I have on this are bad.
