Thecranial vault is the space in theskull within theneurocranium, occupied by thebrain.
In humans, the cranial vault is imperfectly composed in newborns, to allow the large human head to pass through thebirth canal. During birth, the various bones, connected only bycartilage andligaments, will move relatively to each other. The open portion between the major bones of the upper part of the vault, calledfontanelles, normally remain soft up to two years after birth.
As the fontanelles close, the vault loses some of its plasticity. Thesutures between the bones remain until 30 to 40 years of age, allowing for growth of the brain. Cranial vault size is directly proportional to skull size and is developed early.[1]
The size and shape of the brain and the surrounding vault remain quite plastic as the brain grows in childhood. In several ancient societies, head shape was altered foraesthetic orreligious reasons by binding cloth or boards tightly around the head during infancy. It is not known whether suchartificial cranial deformation has an effect in brain power.
The cranial vault is composed of theendocranium forming the basal parts, topped by theskull roof inland vertebrates.[2]
Infishes, no distinct cranial vault as such exists. Instead, the skull is composed of loosely jointed bones. The cranial vault as a distinct unit arose with the fusion of theskull roof and theendocranium on the earlyLabyrinthodonts.[2] Inamphibians andreptiles, the vault is rather small and inconspicuous, only forming proper vaults inmammals andbirds.