The falx cerebri separates the two hemispheres in the cerebrum. It is a crescent-shaped membrane. It is composed of hard meninges.
What is the falx cerebri?
The falx cerebri is classified as part of the central nervous system and is located inside the skull. The cerebrum consists of two halves. These are also called hemispheres or hemisphaerium cerebri. The two hemispheres are not identical in structure. They perform different tasks in processing information from different stimuli. The cerebral hemispheres are separated by the fissura longitudinalis cerebri. This contains the dura mater and the falx cerebri. The falx cerebri is a membrane located between the upper sections of the right and left hemispheres of the brain. It thus also has the task of separating the two hemispheres from each other. Its course is from front to back. The separation of the cerebral hemispheres takes place through it connective tissue. It occupies most of the dura mater. This is a hard meninges. The falx cerebri visually resembles a crescent. For this reason, it is also called the cerebral crescent. It is located below the top of the skull. In some places, it has small gaps that are supposed to create pressure equalization when there is swelling in the brain.
Anatomy and structure
When the skull is opened laterally, the anterior, middle, and posterior cranial fossae can be seen. Spanning the entire area above it is the falx cerebri. It fills the skull in the shape of a crescent from the forehead area over the skullcap to the back of the head. In the first third, i.e. between the forehead and the middle of the head, the falx cerebri has several gaps. These are of different size and number in each individual. The fissura longitudinalis cerebri divides the cerebrum, as the telencephalon into its two cerebral hemispheres. Within the fissura longitudinalis is an outpouching of the dura mater. The dura mater is the outer meninges of the brain. This is very tough and fuses with the periosteum in the cranial region. The dura mater demarcates the brain from the skull. Visually, it appears that the dura mater almost completely envelops the brain. The protrusion in the dura mater is the falx cerebri. This is an equally solid connective tissue that is pushed between both hemispheres by the dura mater. Beneath the falx cerebri lies the corpus callosum.
Function and tasks
The main function of the falx cerebri is to separate the right cerebral hemisphere from the left cerebral hemisphere. The work of the cerebral hemispheres is divided in the initial processing of stimuli and occurs separately. The left side performs activities such as analyzing and language. The right hemisphere processes the stimuli of spatial perception as well as music. As a result, the two hemispheres of the brain are specialized differently and information that is perceived on the left side of the body, for example, is identified and evaluated in the right. The division of tasks means that a lot of information has to travel a long way and is crossed in the brain. The advantage, however, is that incoming stimuli can be processed quickly and effectively due to the specialization of the individual systems. The brain works according to the ventral and dorsal principle. It does not localize what has been received, but where the stimulus arrives in the brain. This system ensures that very fast information processing can take place. To ensure this, it is necessary to ensure that the cerebral hemispheres remain separate from each other during the process of initial stimulus processing and do not fuse or merge. This is done via the membrane of the falx cerebri. At a later stage of stimulus processing, information from both cerebral hemispheres is evaluated via the bar. At this point, the two hemispheres communicate with each other. This is the only way to ensure that information perceived in the left visual field, for example, and processed in the right hemisphere can also lead to sufficient information processing including reactions.
Diseases
In case of brain swelling due to accidents, surgical interventions, inflammations or in case of O2 deficiency, pressure occurs in the brain. Due to the predetermined shape of the skull and the hard shell of the skull, the swelling cannot escape. This leads to damage to individual areas of the brain and thus to an impairment of the functioning of these areas.The swollen brain mass causes parts of the brain to become trapped. This means that they are no longer adequately supplied and can no longer perform their tasks. This can result in impaired consciousness or loss of consciousness. Stimuli that are picked up can no longer be perceived or processed sufficiently. This can affect any sensory system. The existing gaps in the anterior region of the flax cerebri can have a dampening effect in brain swelling, but this is only to a very small degree. They have a compensatory function that can compensate for small swellings for a limited time. Circulatory disturbances in the dura mater affect its ability to function. If it is restricted, it is no longer possible to ensure that the falx cerebri remains between the hemispheres. In addition, further hemorrhage or congestive hemorrhage with central nervous consequences may occur. Failure of the falx cerebri causes the skull capsule to no longer be sufficiently mechanically stabilized from the inside. This is essentially what the cerebral crescent serves for. Various diseases of the meninges also affect the functional activity of the falx cerebri.