He Skull It is the bony structure of the head, it is made up of a series of bones that are arranged acquiring the shape of a vault in its upper and posterior part, in front of them there is another group of bones in the form of a solid that give it shape to the face
The cranial vault is made up of a total of 8 bones that have the function of housing the upper part of the central nervous system, also known as the brain, which is made up of the cerebrum, the cerebellum and the brain stem. These bones have a series of holes and notches that allow the nerves that originate in this part of the nervous system to exit the skull. There are twelve in total and emerge bilaterally, which is why they are called cranial nerves. Likewise, these ducts allow the entrance of the arteries to the skull, such is the case of the internal carotid artery and the vertebral arteries, as well as the exit of the veins, such as the jugular vein and the vertebrobasilar veins.
In the lower part of its posterior end is the foramen magnum, through which it communicates with the spinal cord. This orifice also allows continuous drainage of the cerebrospinal fluid that circulates around the brain and spinal cord.
The skull has an important function of protecting the brain, in the case of the brain and the brain stem this protection is crucial for subsistence since in both structures are the regulatory centers of functions such as consciousness, respiration, cardiac activity, blood pressure and temperature regulation, which are critical functions for life.
From birth until the first years of childhood, the bones of the skull are joined by a soft tissue, known as cartilage, which allows them to grow at the same rate as the brain. There are six joints in total, however, only Two are more evident and are located in the upper part of the skull, where they give rise to two openings known as fontanelles. In adolescence, the unions between the bones are consolidated and the skull acquires its maximum resistance.
The rigid union of the bones of the skull, although it allows the nervous system to be protected, is also a factor against it, since in the event of infections, traumatisms or accidents of the brain or meninges in which inflammation or hemorrhage occurs, the skull constitutes an element that prevents an increase in the volume of tissues or blood from accumulating. These phenomena increase the pressure inside the skull, which leads to the lower part of the cerebellum descending through the foramen magnum, which compresses the centers that control breathing at the level of the brain stem, producing immediate death. This phenomenon is called “locking”. and occurs in severe cases of meningitis, strokes or cerebral hemorrhages, cerebrovascular accidents, abscess-like infections of the nervous system and in some cases of intracranial tumors.
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