Meninges

The meninges are three connective tissue coverings that surround, protect, and suspend the brain and spinal cord within the cranial cavity and vertebral canal.

Those tissue are:

 - the dura mater is the thickest and most external of the coverings;

 - the arachnoid mater is against the internal surface of the dura mater;

 - the pia mater is adherent to the brain and spinal cord.

Between the arachnoid and pia mater is the subarachnoid space, which contains CSF.