The veins of the brain can be divided into superficial and deep veins. Superficial veins drain the outer structures of the brain while deep veins drain the inner structures. Major veins include the superior and inferior cerebral veins, superficial middle cerebral veins, great cerebral vein, internal cerebral veins, and superior and inferior cerebellar veins. These veins drain into dural venous sinuses, which then drain into the internal jugular veins. The unique venous drainage system of the brain differs from other body regions where venous drainage typically follows arterial supply.

1. z
VEINS OF THE BRAIN

2. The venous drainage of the brain, i.e. the cerebrum, brainstem
and cerebellum, is highly complex and specialised. Specific
attention to the anatomy of the veins located in the brain
.as unlike much of the rest of the body, venous drainage does
not generally follow arterial supply in this region.

3. The veins of the brain are divisided into
1 .Superficial cerebral veins and
2 .Internal cerebral veins
depending on whether they drain
the superficial structures of the brain or the deep
structures.

4. SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ABOUT VEINS OF BRAIN
The veins of the brain are thin-walled, valveless and pierce the
arachnoid mater and meningeal layer of dura mater (of
meninges) to empty poorly oxygenated blood into the dural
venous sinuses. The dural venous sinuses drain into the sigmoid
sinus which becomes continuous with the internal jugular veins
(IJVs).

5. Major veins of the brain include the superior and
inferior cerebral veins, superficial middle cerebral
veins, the great cerebral vein (of Galen),
internal cerebral veins, as well as the superior and
inferior cerebellar veins. They drain into the dural
venous sinuses which are the:
•Superior sagittal sinus
•Inferior sagittal sinus
•Straight sinus
•Transverse sinus
•Sigmoid sinus
•Cavernous sinus
•Sphenoparietal sinus
•Superior and inferior petrosal sinuses
•Occipital sinus.

6. VEINS OF THE CEREBRUM
Veins of the cerebral hemispheres can be categorized into :
1 .Superficial and
2 .Deep.
The superficial veins chiefly drain the cerebral cortex, while
the deep veins return blood from the deep structures of the
cerebrum.

7. 1. Superficial veins of the
cerebrum
1. Superior cerebral veins
2. Inferior cerebral veins
3 .Superficial middle cerebral vein

8. 1. Superior cerebral
veins
These veins drain the upper parts of the
superolateral and medial surfaces of the
cerebral hemisphere. They drain blood
into the superior sagittal sinus.
2. Inferior cerebral veins
These veins return blood from the inferior
aspect of the cerebral hemisphere into the
transverse, superior petrosal, cavernous and
sphenoparietal sinuses. Some also drain into
the inferior sagittal sinus.

9. 3. Superficial middle cerebral
vein
This vein receives blood from veins on the
superolateral surface, as it lies superficially along
the lateral sulcus and the posterior ramus of lateral
sulcus. The posterior end of this vein is connected to
the superior sagittal sinus by the superior
anastomotic vein (this is so because of its curve
along the posterior ramus of lateral sulcus). The
superficial middle cerebral vein is also connected to
the transverse sinus by the inferior anastomotic
vein. It terminates in the cavernous sinus.

10. 2. Deep veins of the
cerebrum
All of those deep veins and their tributaries drain
the thalamus, hypothalamus, the corpus striatum, internal
capsule, corpus callosum, septum pellucidum, the choroid
plexuses and the white matter of the cerebral hemispheres
1. Internal cerebral veins
2. Great cerebral vein
3. Basal veins

12. 1. Internal cerebral veins
The internal cerebral veins arise close to the interventricular
foramen (of Monro), and run posteriorly along the
dorsomedial aspect of the thalamus, parallel to each other.
They course over the roof of the third ventricle, within the tela
choroidea to reach the splenium of the corpus callosum.
Here, the two internal cerebral veins merge to form the great
cerebral vein, which in turn drains into the straight sinus. The
internal cerebral vein is formed mainly by the merger of
the thalamostriate vein which runs between the thalamus and
the caudate nucleus (a basal ganglia nucleus) and
the choroidal vein which drains the choroid plexus of lateral
ventricle. The internal cerebral veins are the main vessels
that drain the internal structures of the cerebral hemisphere.

13. 2. Great cerebral vein
This vein which is formed by union of the two internal
cerebral veins passes posteriorly beneath the splenium of
the corpus callosum, to end in the straight sinus. It
receives blood from the basal veins, some veins from
the occipital lobes, and some from the corpus callosum.
3. Basal veins
The two basal veins wind around the midbrain to drain blood
into the great cerebral vein. Each of these veins is formed
by the union of the anterior cerebral vein (a vena comitans),
deep middle cerebral vein, and some inferior striate veins,
and begins near the anterior perforated substance.

14. Cerebellum
The cerebellum is drained by the superior and inferior cerebellar
veins and their tributaries. From the upper surface of the
cerebellum, blood is drained into the straight, transverse,
and superior petrosal venous sinuses. The inferior cerebellar
veins and their tributaries drain blood into the right and left
sigmoid sinuses, inferior petrosal sinus, the occipital and straight
sinuses.

16. Brainstem
Veins of the brainstem are tributaries of the great cerebral
vein and basal vein. They are continuous with veins of
the spinal cord, inferiorly. Those tributaries on the midbrain
drain into the great cerebral vein or into the basal vein.
Those within the pons and medulla, drain into the superior
and inferior petrosal sinuses, the transverse sinus and into
the occipital sinus.

17. PRESENTED BY-
MASIRA PATEL