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№ 2Neurology8 min read

Coverings of the brain and spinal cord

1. Big picture

The brain and spinal cord are covered by three meninges: dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater. For the exam, do not learn them only as anatomy. Learn them as clinical spaces:

Skull / vertebral canal → dura → arachnoid → pia → CNS tissue

The most important exam correlations are:

  • Epidural hematoma: between skull and dura, usually middle meningeal artery.

  • Subdural hematoma: between dura and arachnoid, usually bridging veins.

  • Subarachnoid hemorrhage / meningitis: pathology in the CSF-containing subarachnoid space.

  • Papilledema: raised intracranial pressure is transmitted through the optic nerve sheath, because

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