Sagittal Section of the Brain and the Meningeal Branch of the Ophthalmic Nerve, Lateral View

Description

Cut along the mid-sagittal plane and viewed from the lateral aspect, the sectioned cerebrum exposes the corpus callosum arching superior to the lateral ventricle, with the thalamic region and brainstem aligned inferiorly toward the upper cervical spinal cord. Posteriorly, the cerebellar vermis and fourth ventricle sit dorsal to the pons and medulla, while the falx cerebri tracks along the midline and the tentorium cerebelli forms a transverse dural shelf over the posterior cranial fossa. Traced along the anterior cranial fossa and toward the tentorial attachment, the meningeal branch of the ophthalmic nerve (V1), the tentorial nerve (nervus tentorii), courses posteriorly from the trigeminal territory to supply supratentorial dura, running in close relationship to the dura lining and nearby meningeal vessels. Clear orientation. That tentorial innervation matters any time you teach or treat headache originating from dura. Irritation of V1 meningeal afferents is a core mechanism in trigeminovascular pain, and the tentorial nerve is a practical anatomic explanation for frontal or retro-orbital referral patterns seen with falx or tentorium pathology, including meningioma, subdural collections, or postoperative dural traction. For neurosurgical approaches that mobilize the tentorium or work along the falx (interhemispheric, occipital transtentorial), knowing where V1 dural fibers travel helps anticipate pain generators and guides dural anesthesia targets. Use this artwork in neuroanatomy and head and neck teaching blocks to connect cranial nerve V1 to dural innervation, and in clinical education materials on migraine, trigeminal neuralgia variants, and referred pain from tentorial lesions. It also suits neurosurgery texts illustrating dural folds, ventricular landmarks, and the relationship of cranial nerves and meningeal vessels in a sagittal brain section. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.