Skull: Anterior and Lateral Aspects The anterior, or facial, aspect of the skull is composed of the frontal part of the calvaria (skullcap) above and the facial bones below. The facial contours and proportions are largely determined by the underlying…
Overview of Headaches Headache is one of the most common reasons for consulting a physician and is one of the top three reasons for lost work days. Rather than a disease, headache is a symptom, frequently providing a valuable warning…
Clinical Presentations of Brain Tumors Brain tumors commonly present with symptoms of elevated intracranial pressure or focal neurologic dysfunction. Elevated intracranial pressure can directly result from an enlarging mass or can be secondary to the development of hydrocephalus stemming from…
Bacterial Meningitis Pathophysiology. Bacterial meningitis is initially an acute purulent infection of the meninges and subarachnoid space that is followed by an inflammatory reaction in the subarachnoid space, the brain parenchyma, and the cerebral arteries (arteritis) and veins (dural sinus…
Multiple Sclerosis: Overview In temperate climates, multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common episodic neurologic illness of early adult years. The process begins as periodic and focal loss of central nervous system (CNS) myelin and the oligodendrocytes (OGCs) that synthesize…
Overview and Approach to Stroke Patient Arterial Supply to the Brain and Meninges Overview and Cervical Segments The brain and meninges are supplied by branches that originate from the aorta. The brachiocephalic trunk (or innominate artery ) divides behind the…
Cerebellum and the Fourth Ventricle The fourth ventricle lies posterior to the pons and upper half of the medulla oblongata and anterior to the cerebellum (see Plate 8-1 ). Its upper and lower ends become continuous, respectively, with the cerebral…
Anatomy of the Basal Ganglia and Related Structures Overview of Movement Disorders For the past 30 years, movement disorders have encompassed the study of a group of conditions characterized by poverty of movement, the akinetic-rigid syndromes, and those with excessive…
Coma The term consciousness refers to a state of awareness of self and one's environment. Assessing consciousness in another person relies on judging that individual's performance or behavior in some mental function and arousal or response of awakening to a…
Anatomic Relationships of the Hypothalamus The hypothalamus is a small area, weighing about 4 g of the total 1,400 g of adult brain weight, but it is the only 4 g of brain without which life itself is impossible. The hypothalamus is so…