Cranium
Cranium
Cranium (/ˈkreɪniəm/; from Greek κρανίον "skull") is the part of the skull that encloses the brain in vertebrates. The cranium protects the brain from injury.
Etymology
The term "cranium" comes from the Greek word "κρανίον" (kranion), which means "skull". It was first used in English in the late 16th century.
Structure
The cranium is made up of several bones that are connected by sutures. These bones include the frontal bone, parietal bone, occipital bone, temporal bone, sphenoid bone, and ethmoid bone. The cranium also includes the facial bones, although these are not always considered part of the cranium.
Function
The primary function of the cranium is to protect the brain and support the structures of the face. It also provides a solid base for the attachment of the muscles that control head movement, facial expression, and chewing.
Related Terms
- Skull: The bony structure that forms the head in vertebrates.
- Brain: The organ of soft nervous tissue contained in the skull of vertebrates, functioning as the coordinating center of sensation and intellectual and nervous activity.
- Sutures: A type of joint between the bones of the skull where the bones are held tightly together by fibrous tissue.
- Facial bones: The bones that form the skeleton of the face.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cranium
- Wikipedia's article - Cranium
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski