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Ch. 12 The Central Nervous System
Marieb - Human Anatomy & Physiology 11th Edition
Marieb, Hoehn11th EditionHuman Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780136874034Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksMarieb, Hoehn 11th EditionCh. 12 The Central Nervous SystemProblem 2
Chapter 12, Problem 2

The innermost layer of the meninges, delicate and adjacent to the brain tissue, is the
a. Dura mater
b. Corpus callosum
c. Arachnoid mater
d. Pia mater

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1
Understand that the meninges are the protective membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, consisting of three layers: dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater.
Recall the order of these layers from the outermost to the innermost: dura mater is the tough outer layer, arachnoid mater is the middle web-like layer, and pia mater is the delicate inner layer that closely adheres to the brain tissue.
Identify that the question asks for the innermost layer, which means the layer directly adjacent to the brain tissue.
Eliminate options that do not correspond to meningeal layers: corpus callosum is a bundle of nerve fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres, so it is not a meningeal layer.
Conclude that the correct answer is the pia mater, as it is the delicate innermost meningeal layer adjacent to the brain.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Meninges

The meninges are three protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. They consist of the dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater, each with distinct locations and functions in protecting the central nervous system.
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Pia Mater

The pia mater is the innermost layer of the meninges, a thin and delicate membrane that closely adheres to the surface of the brain and spinal cord, following their contours and providing a protective barrier.
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Fibrous Layer

Dura Mater and Arachnoid Mater

The dura mater is the tough, outermost layer of the meninges, while the arachnoid mater is the middle, web-like layer. Both serve protective roles but are located farther from the brain tissue compared to the pia mater.
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Fibrous Layer
Related Practice
Textbook Question

Cerebrospinal fluid is formed by

a. Arachnoid granulations

b. Dura mater

c. Choroid plexuses

d. All of these

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Textbook Question

Choose the correct term from the key to respond to the statements describing various brain areas.

Key:

a. Cerebellum

b. Corpora quadrigemina

c. Corpus callosum

d. Striatum

e. Hypothalamus

f. Medulla

g. Midbrain

h. Pons

i. Thalamus 

________ (1) basal nuclei involved in fine control of motor activities  

________ (2) region where there is a crossover of fibers of descending pyramidal tracts  

________ (3) control of temperature, autonomic nervous system reflexes, hunger, and water balance 

________ (4) houses the substantia nigra and cerebral aqueduct 

________ (5) relay stations for visual and auditory stimuli input; found in midbrain 

________ (6) houses vital centers for control of the heart, respiration, and blood pressure 

________ (7) brain area through which all the sensory input is relayed to get to the cerebral cortex 

________ (8) brain area most concerned with equilibrium, body posture, and coordination of motor activity

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Textbook Question

The primary motor cortex, Broca's area, and the premotor cortex are located in which lobe?

a. Frontal

b. Parietal

c. Temporal

d. Occipital

1474
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Textbook Question

Destruction of the ventral horn cells of the spinal cord results in loss of

a. Integrating impulses

b. Sensory impulses

c. Voluntary motor impulses

d. All of these

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