The posterior cranial fossa is part of the

cranial cavity The cranial cavity, also known as intracranial space, is the space within the skull that accommodates the brain. The skull minus the mandible is called the ''cranium''. The cavity is formed by eight cranial bones known as the neurocranium that in ...

, located between the

foramen magnum The foramen magnum ( la, great hole) is a large, oval-shaped opening in the occipital bone of the skull. It is one of the several oval or circular openings (foramina) in the base of the skull. The spinal cord, an extension of the medulla oblon ...

and tentorium cerebelli. It contains the

brainstem The brainstem (or brain stem) is the posterior stalk-like part of the brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord. In the human brain the brainstem is composed of the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla oblongata. The midbrain is cont ...

and

cerebellum The cerebellum (Latin for "little brain") is a major feature of the hindbrain of all vertebrates. Although usually smaller than the cerebrum, in some animals such as the mormyrid fishes it may be as large as or even larger. In humans, the cerebel ...

. This is the most inferior of the fossae. It houses the cerebellum, medulla and pons. Anteriorly it extends to the apex of the petrous temporal. Posteriorly it is enclosed by the occipital bone. Laterally portions of the squamous temporal and mastoid part of the temporal bone form its walls.

Features

Foramen magnum

The most conspicuous, large opening in the floor of the fossa. It transmits the medulla, the ascending portions of the

spinal accessory nerve The accessory nerve, also known as the eleventh cranial nerve, cranial nerve XI, or simply CN XI, is a cranial nerve that supplies the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles. It is classified as the eleventh of twelve pairs of cranial nerves ...

(XI), and the vertebral arteries.

Internal acoustic meatus

Lies in the anterior wall of the posterior cranial fossa. It transmits the facial (VII) and vestibulocochlear (VIII) cranial nerves into a canal in the petrous temporal bone.

Jugular foramen

Lies between the inferior edge of the petrous temporal bone and the adjacent

occipital bone The occipital bone () is a neurocranium, cranial dermal bone and the main bone of the occiput (back and lower part of the skull). It is trapezoidal in shape and curved on itself like a shallow dish. The occipital bone overlies the occipital lobe ...

and transmits the internal jugular vein (actually begins here), the glossopharyngeal (IX), the vagus (X) and the accessory (XI) nerves.

Anterior condylar (hypoglossal) canal

Lies at the anterolateral margins of the f. magnum and transmits the hypoglossal (XII) nerve.

Other

Also visible in the posterior cranial fossa are depressions caused by the venous sinuses returning blood from the brain to the venous circulation: Right and left transverse sinuses which meet at the confluence of sinuses (marked by the internal occipital protuberance). The transverse sinuses pass horizontally from the most posterior point of the occiput. Where the apex of the petrous temporal meets the squamous temporal, the transverse sinuses lead into sigmoid (S-shaped) sinuses (one on each side). These pass along the articulation between the posterior edge of the petrous temporal bone and the anterior edge of the occipital bones to the jugular foramen, where the sigmoid sinus becomes the internal jugular vein. Note that a superior petrosal sinus enters the junction of the transverse and sigmoid sinuses. Also an inferior petrosal sinus enters the sigmoid sinus near the jugular foramen. The posterior cranial fossa is formed in the

endocranium The endocranium in comparative anatomy is a part of the skull base in vertebrates and it represents the basal, inner part of the cranium. The term is also applied to the outer layer of the dura mater in human anatomy. Structure Structurally, t ...

, and holds the most basal parts of the brain.

Related pathophysiology

An underdeveloped posterior cranial fossa can cause Arnold–Chiari malformation. These can be either acquired or congenital disorders.

Additional images

File:Posterior cranial fossa - animation.gif, Animation File:Cranial endobasis of a 19-20 weeks foetus 2.JPG, Posterior cranial fossa at human fetus File:Schädelbasis1.jpg, Base of skull File:Base of skull 24.jpg, Posterior cranial fossa File:Base of skull 25.jpg, Posterior cranial fossa File:Postermass.png, A tumor of the posterior fossa leading to mass effect and shift of the fourth ventricle File:Cerebellar fossa by Sanjoy Sanyal.webm, Video (44 sec). Demonstrationg how

sits in the posterior cranial fossa.

External links

* {{Authority control Skull