Journal of anatomy
-
Posterior projections of the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve (the ophthalmic nerve) are distributed in the tentorium cerebelli as recurrent meningeal branches. We investigated the morphological tentorial distribution of the ophthalmic nerve. Fifty-two sides of the tentorium cerebelli and adjacent dura mater obtained from 29 human specimens were stained using Sihler's method to examine the nerve fibres in the dural sheets. ⋯ The posterior part of the falx cerebri was innervated by the ophthalmic nerve that traversed to the straight sinus. The parietal branches of the middle meningeal artery in the lateral convexity that were projected orthogonally by the ophthalmic nerve traversed the transverse sinus, implicating their vulnerability and possible sensitivity under physiological or neurosurgical conditions. This study has revealed the macroscopic tentorial innervation of the dura mater in humans, which could be useful information for both neurosurgeons and neurologists.