Article
Article
Meninges
Article By:
Parsons, Thomas S. Ramsay Wright Zoological Laboratories, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Last reviewed:August 2022
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.414600
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In mammals, the three membranes that cover the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). The three members or layers of the meninges are called the dura mater, the arachnoid mater, and the pia mater (see illustration). By encasing the brain and spinal cord, the meninges create a volume where cerebrospinal fluid, a clear extracellular fluid, can circulate and act a shock absorber, cushioning and protecting the central nervous system from physical shock and trauma. Inflammation of the meninges is termed meningitis and is usually caused by infectious diseases. See also: Brain; Central nervous system; Infectious disease; Mammalia; Meningitis; Shock absorber; Spinal cord; Trauma
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