Emissary veins passing through the foramen ovale, jugular foramen, foramen lacerum, and hypoglossal canal. Because the emissary veins are valveless, they are an important part in selective brain cooling through bidirectional flow of cooler blood from the evaporating surface of the head. In general, blood flow is from external to internal but the flow can be altered by increased intracranial pressure. A type of emissary vein goes through the sphenoidal emissary foramen inferior to the zygomatic arch with the cavernous sinus on the inside of the skull. This is an important route for spread of infection because cranial nerve VI and the
Blood–brain barrier was observed between adult and newborn rabbits. These experiments indicate that the newborn BBB has restrictive properties similar to that of the adult. In contrast to suggestions of an immature barrier in young animals, these studies indicate that a sophisticated, selective BBB is operative at birth. The blood–brain barrier acts effectively to protect the brain from circulating pathogens. Accordingly, blood-borne infections of the brain are rare. Infections of the brain that do occur are often difficult to treat. Antibodies are too large to cross the blood–brain barrier, and only certain antibiotics are able to pass. In some cases, a drug