Brain Protection

Abstract

The brain is a vital organ, but it is also a very fragile tissue. In this article, we try to focus on its protective mechanisms. The brain is supported by external and internal means of protection. The brain's external protection consists of more than one layer, including the strong bones of the skull, followed by the three meningeal membranes: the dura mater, the arachnoid mater and the pia mater. This is in addition to the cerebrospinal fluid tube located in the subarachnoid space and extending within the brain cavities. These cavities are the two lateral ventricles, one within each cerebral hemisphere; the third ventricle, which is the diencephalon cavity separating the thalami; the fourth ventricle, which represents the rhombencephalon located between the pons and medulla oblongata in front and the cerebellum in back; and the aqueduct of Sylvius located within the short midbrain. On the other hand, internal protection includes the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB), which acts as a barrier against harmful substances that may be present in the blood, but unfortunately this is not a perfect barrier as some ingested substances can pass through it to reach the brain. This necessitates special care, including avoiding head injuries whenever possible, and refraining from taking medications or any harmful substances such as narcotics that may cross the BBB and negatively affect the brain.