How does venous blood from the brain drain out of the skull?

Venous blood from the brain drains into dural venous sinuses, which are located between layers of the dura mater. These sinuses eventually empty into the internal jugular veins, carrying blood away from the brain.

What are the main differences between superficial and deep cerebral veins?

Superficial cerebral veins drain the outer cortical surfaces and include veins like the superior, middle, and inferior cerebral veins. Deep cerebral veins drain internal structures like the thalamus and basal ganglia, forming the internal cerebral veins and great cerebral vein.

What is the role of the great cerebral vein (of Galen) in brain drainage?

The great cerebral vein is a single midline vein formed by the union of the two internal cerebral veins. It receives tributaries like the basal veins and drains into the straight sinus, playing a key role in collecting blood from deep brain structures.

How are the superior cerebral veins related to subdural hemorrhage?

The superior cerebral veins are bridging veins that drain into the superior sagittal sinus. Rupture of these veins, often due to trauma, can cause subdural hemorrhage as blood collects in the subdural space.

What are the key features of brain veins compared to arteries?

Brain veins are thin-walled, lack valves, and travel mainly in the subarachnoid space. Unlike arteries, their drainage pattern does not follow the arterial supply, and they are categorized into cerebral, cerebellar, and brainstem veins.

Which veins drain the medial surface of the brain?

The medial surface is drained by superior cerebral veins into the superior sagittal sinus, inferior cerebral veins into the inferior sagittal sinus, posterior veins into the great cerebral vein, and the anterior cerebral vein for anterior regions.

Brain Veins – Cerebral Veins & Dural Sinuses