Craniometric characteristics of the trigeminal ganglion impression and the structures for the exit of its branches in different skull shapes

A detailed study of the variant anatomy of the internal base in the area of the middle cranial fossa is of interest to practitioners of various specialties. The paper provides data on the morphometric and topographic-anatomical characteristics of the formations of the middle cranial fossa associated with the intracranial part of the trigeminal nerve (trigeminal depression, superior orbital fissure, round and oval openings).

Objective - to study the craniometric and topographic-anatomical characteristics of the depression of the trigeminal nerve node (DTNN), round and oval openings, and the superior orbital fissure in various forms of the cerebral skull.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted on male Caucasian turtles, which were divided into 3 groups according to the transverse-longitudinal cranial index: dolicho-, meso- and brachycranes.

Results. It was found that the morphometric characteristics of the depression of the trigeminal nerve node correlated with the transverse-longitudinal dimensions of the skull, its width (transverse size) changed in the groups of mesocrans and brachycranes and the distance from the top of the pyramid to the medial edge of the depression in the groups of lobes-hawkranes and mesocrans. The sizes of the holes in which the branches of the trigeminal nerve pass (the upper orbital fissure, round and oval holes) also differed. Attention is drawn to the differences in some characteristics of the contralateral sides of the study.

Conclusion. The analysis of the formation parameters for the DTNN and branches of the trigeminal nerve should be carried out taking into account the shape of the cerebral skull and for each side separately. It can be assumed that the morphometric differences of the studied formations are due to the functional asymmetry of the brain (right-handed, left-handed), however, this requires special research.

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