Skull and Cranium Landmarks Quiz

Skull and Cranium Landmarks

• The skull, or cranium, is the skeletal structure of the head, supporting the face and protecting the brain
• It's comprised of 22 individual bones
• The skull is divided into two sections: the neurocranium (cranial bones) and viscerocranium (facial bones)
• There are 8 cranial bones and 14 facial bones

Cranial Bones

• Frontal (1)
• Parietal (2)
• Temporal (2)
• Occipital (1)
• Sphenoid (1)
• Ethmoid (1)

Viscerocranium / Facial Bones

• Nasal (2)
• Lacrimal (2)
• Palatine (2)
• Zygomatic (2)
• Maxilla (2)
• Mandible (1)
• Vomer (1)
• Inferior nasal conchae (2)

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the course, learners will be able to:
  • Name the bones of the cranium and their sutures
  • Label cranium views
  • Identify features of the sphenoid bone
  • Identify features of the ethmoid bone
  • Discuss the infratemporal and pterygopalatine fossae

GDC Learning Outcomes

• The aims for this course are to discuss and teach learners about the skull, teaching them about the various components of the cranium and associated features, and why they're important
• This course is part 1 of 5 parts

Formative Assessment

• There will be a formative assessment completed at the end of each lecture session
• The assessments are to be completed and given back to the teacher, Julie Watson

Glossary

• Articulate: Joining/touching
• Ridge: Raised linear elevation
• Foramen: Opening or hole allowing passage of blood or nerves
• Fossa: Shallow depression
• Process: Large distinctive projection
• Groove: Open channel
• Canal: Tunnel through the bone
• Tubercle: Small, prominent elevation
• Eminence: Elevation on bone
• Tuberosity: Bulbous feature
• Internal: Inner/inside
• External: Outer/outside
• Medial: Towards midline
• Lateral: Away from midline
• Anterior: Towards the front
• Posterior: Towards the back
• Superior: Above
• Inferior: Underneath/below
• Superficial: Nearer the skin surface
• Deep: Away from the skin surface
• Roof: Top
• Floor: Bottom
• Plate: Flat area of bone
• Margin: Border/edge

Function of the Neurocranium

• Protection of the brain
• Attachment sites for muscles of facial expression and mastication (chewing)
• Framework for the cranial and orbital cavities

Lobes of the Brain

• The cerebrum is divided into 4 lobes: frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal

Functions of Brain Lobes

• Frontal Lobe: Personality, behavior, emotions, judgment, planning, problem-solving, speech/writing (Broca's area), body movement (motor strip), intelligence, concentration, self-awareness
• Parietal Lobe: Interprets language (words), sense of touch, pain, temperature (sensory strip), interprets signals from vision, hearing, motor, sensory and memory, spatial and visual perception
• Occipital Lobe: Interprets vision (color, light, and movement)
• Temporal Lobe: Understanding language (Wernicke's area), memory, hearing, sequencing and organization

Broca and Wernicke's Areas

• Broca's area: Located in the left frontal lobe; crucial for speech production. Damage to this area results in Broca's aphasia, hindering the ability to form and express words correctly.
• Wernicke's area: Located in the left temporal lobe; important for language comprehension. Lesions in this area lead to Wernicke's aphasia, characterized by fluent but meaningless speech and difficulty understanding spoken language.

Sutures

• Coronal suture: Connects the frontal and parietal bones
• Sagittal suture: Joins the two parietal bones along the midline
• Lambdoid suture: Connects the parietal bones to the occipital bone
• Squamosal suture: Connects the squamous portion of the temporal bone to the parietal bone
• Metopic suture: (occasionally present) Joins the two frontal bones