Human skull foramina

Presented by: Abdikadir Ibrahim Suleiman

NEUROANATOMY
 What is foramen?
• The foramina of the skull refers to the
several holes, passages or canals in this
part of the skeletal system. The term
"foramina" is the plural version of
"foramen," which is an anatomical term
used for openings that carry or connect
different types of arteries, veins and
nerves in the body.
 Which bone most foramina are located?

• Most of the foramina of the skull can be found in the

sphenoid bone. It is named for its wedge-like
shape and helps form the orbits where the eyes and
its accompanying parts are located. The optical canal,
superior orbital fissure, foramen rotundum, foramen
ovale, foramen spinosum and foramen lacerum can
be found here. The triangle-shaped foramen lacerum
is particularly notable for accommodating the
internal carotid arteries, which supply the brain with
blood.
 Cont..
• Other major sites for the foramina of the skull
include the frontal, ethmoid, temporal and occipital
bones. The frontal bone, which comprises the
forehead, has two foramina: the supraorbital
foramen and the foramen cecum, the latter of which
is formed by the frontal bone's crest. The ethmoid
bone, which functions as the barrier between the
brain and nasal cavity, has three foramina: the
foramina of cribriform plate, anterior ethmoidal
foramen and posterior ethmoidal foramen.
 Function of foramina?
• Twelve pairs of nerves, called the cranial
nerves, arise from the brain. Also, there are
many blood vessels, large and small arteries
and veins, that carry blood to and from the
brain. How do these structures travel in and
out of the skull? They enter and exit the
cranium through holes in the skull bones
called foramina (singular foramen).
 Foramina serving Cranial Nerves

You must know what foramina

each CN leaves the skull through?
• There are 21 foramina in the human
skull.
• The foramina occur in all of the
major bones of the skull.
 Major Foramina of the skull
• Foramen Magnum ;
 Medulla oblongata
 vertebral arteries
 spinal accessory nerve
 apical ligament of dens
 membrane tectoria

• Optic canal ;
 Optic nerve and opthalmic artery
 •Mandibular foramen ;
 inferior alveolar nerve
 ======= artery
 ======== vein
• Mental foramen ;
 Mental artery
 === vein
 === nerve
 • Parietal foramen
 Emissary vein from superior saggital sinus

• Mastoid foramen ;
 emissary vein to sigmoid sinus
 meningeal branch of occibital artery
• Foramen cecum ;
 Emissary vein
 • Greater palatine foramen
 Greater palatine Artery
 ======== Vein
 ======== Nerve
• Lesser palatine foramen ;
 Lesser palatine artery
 ======= Vein
 ======= nerve
 • Supra-orbital foramen ;
o Supra-orbital Artery
o supra-orbital vein
o supra-orbital nerve
• Infra-orbital foramen ;
 Infra-orbital nerve and artery
• Cribriform foramina ;
 Olfactory nerves
 Crista gali

• he crista galli (Latin: "crest of the cock") is a

median ridge of bone that projects from the
cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone.
• It is where the falx cerebri attaches anteriorly
to the skull.
• The olfactory bulbs lie on either side of the
crista galli on top of the cribriform plate
 • Superior orbital fissure ;
 Four cranial nerves pass through this :

Oculomotor Trochlear Abducens Opthalmic n. of

CN CN CN Trigeminal CN
• Stylomastoid foramen ;
 Facial nerve
 posterior Auricular artery ( Stylomastoid branch )
 • Inferior orbital fissure ;
 Infara- orbital vessels
 maxillary nerve of trigeminal CN
 zygomatic nerve
• foramen rotundum
 maxillary nerve of trigeminal CN
• Foramen Ovale ;
 mandibular nerve of trigeminal CN
 • Foramen spinosum
 Middle meningeal artery
 middle meningeal vein
 Nervous spinosus
• Foramen Lacerum ;
 meningeal branch of ascending pharyngeal artery
 Internal carotid artery
• Carotid canal ( Located petrous part of temb
B)
 internal carotid artery and sympathetic nerves
 AT THE END
THANKS FOR YOUR
ATTENTION