Dura mater

Dural Folds and Infoldings

The tentorium cerebelli separates the cerebellum and brainstem from the occipital lobes of the
cerebrum.

The falx cerebri, which separates the two hemispheres of the brain, is located in the longitudinal
cerebral fissure between the hemispheres.

The cerebellar falx (or falx cerebelli) is a vertical dural infolding that lies inferior to the cerebellar
tentorium in the posterior part of the posterior cranial fossa. It partially separates the cerebellar
hemispheres.

The sellar diaphragm is the smallest dural infolding and is a circular sheet of dura that is suspended
between the clinoid processes, forming a partial roof over the hypophysial fossa. The sellar
diaphgram covers the pituitary gland in this fossa and has an aperture for passage of the
infundibulum (pituitary stalk) and hypophysial veins.

Nerve innervation : Supratentorial compartment of the cranial cavity; receives sensory innervation
from the trigeminal nerve.

That lining the anterior cranial fossa and anterior part of the skull vault is supplied by its ophthalmic
branch;
 Middle cranial fossa and midregion of the vault is mainly supplied by the nervus spinosus. This
nerve leaves the mandibular nerve outside the foramen ovale, to return via the foramen spinosum
and accompany the middle meningeal artery and its branches. Stretching or inflammation of the
supratentorial dura gives rise to frontal or parietal headache.

Infratentorial compartment is supplied by branches of upper cervical spinal nerves entering the
foramen magnum. Occipital and posterior neck pains accompany disturbance of the infratentorial
dura.

Acute meningitis involving posterior cranial fossa meninges is associated with neck rigidity and often
with head retraction brought about by reflex contraction of the posterior nuchal muscles, which are
supplied by cervical nerves. Violent occipital headache follows subarachnoid hemorrhage, where
free blood swirls around the hindbrain.

Blood supply

main branches of the Medial Meningeal artery

Dural Venous Sinuses

Sigmoid sinuses

Two Cavernous sinuses