Which of the following options lists the three layers of the meninges?

• A. Dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater
• B. Dura mater, pia mater, choroid plexus
• C. Arachnoid mater, pia mater, falx cerebri
• D. Dura mater, arachnoid mater, falx cerebri

Answer: (A)

Three protective coverings of the brain are the dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater. The dura mater is the tough outer layer, the arachnoid mater is the middle, web-like layer with the subarachnoid space that contains cerebrospinal fluid and blood vessels, and the pia mater is the delicate inner layer that closely adheres to the brain surface. This option lists those three layers in the correct sequence. The choroid plexus is a CSF-producing structure inside the ventricles, not a meningeal layer, and the falx cerebri is a fold of dura mater, not an additional layer. So the correct choice is the one naming the three meninges: dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater.