What covers the brain and spinal cord?

• A. Skull
• B. Meninges
• C. Cerebrospinal fluid
• D. Skin

Answer: (B)

Meninges are the protective membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord. They consist of three layers—dura mater on the outside, arachnoid mater in the middle, and pia mater closest to the nervous tissue. These membranes shield the central nervous system, help contain and circulate cerebrospinal fluid, and act as a barrier against infections. The skull and vertebral bones provide hard, bony protection but are not the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, while cerebrospinal fluid cushions and nourishes the CNS rather than serving as the covering, and skin is the outermost tissue of the body, unrelated to the CNS coverings.