CNS, meninges (Gross, Low)

Structure List Dura matter Surface of cortex Bone of braincase

The meninges provide protection for the central nervous system in addition to the protection provided by the skull and the vertebral column. They consist of the thick dura matter externally, the arachnoid lining the dura and the thin pia matter adhering to the brain and spinal cord. The latter two layers bound the subarachnoid space filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The main support and protection provided by the meninges comes from the dura matter and the cushion of CSF in the subarachnoid space.