The upper part of the skeleton, the human skull is a complex set of bone, one of whose main functions is to protect the brain. It is the strongest area of the human body and represents approximately 1/8 of the total body weight. It rests on the cervical spine whose vertebrae allow movement. The human skull is made up of the cranial (or neurocranial) box and the facial or viscerocranial massif. The latter groups fourteen bones, each with a specific function: zygomatic, maxilla, etc.
The neurocranium, externally, is a cavity composed of:
1. the calvarium or cranial vault, in the upper region, formed by covering bones, flat, which are the frontal, the occipital and the two parietal bones;
2. the temporal region, delimited by the two temporal bones.
3. the cranial base, constituted in its anterior part by the sphenoid (opposite which is the ethmoid) and in the middle and posterior part we find the occipital bone. Internally, the neurocranium recognizes two zones: the vault and the base.
The splanchnocranium has holes: the buccal, the nasal and the orbital. The bones of the face are the palate, the malar, the inferior turbinate, the unguis and the nasal (all in even number) plus an odd one, which is the lower jaw. These bones are found in the front and below the zygomatic and frontal arches.
The cranial vault consists of a total of 8 bones that have the function of housing the upper part of the central nervous system, also known as the brain, which is made up of the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. These bones have a series of holes and notches that allow the exit of the skull of the nerves that originate in this part of the nervous system, there are twelve in total and they emerge bilaterally, which is why they are called cranial nerves. Likewise, these ducts allow the arteries to enter the skull, such as the internal carotid artery and the vertebral arteries, as well as the exit of the veins, such as the jugular vein and the vertebro-basilar veins.
A skull trauma, in fact, is caused by a strong blow to the cranial region that causes neurological problems. It is a physical injury that causes bleeding or bruising in certain regions of the brain stem, cerebellum, or brain.
Loss of consciousness or memory, balance problems, speech difficulties, and decreased visual ability are some of the symptoms of a skull injury.
To avoid these disorders, it is important to protect the skull with a helmet when performing certain hazardous activities (such as working on a construction site , where rocks or debris may hit you on the head).
