Data from: An assessment of the role of the falx cerebri and tentorium cerebelli in the cranium of the cat (Felis silvestris catus)

The falx cerebri and the tentorium cerebelli are two projections of the
dura mater in the cranial cavity which ossify to varying degrees in some
mammalian species. The idea that the ossification of these structures may
be necessary to support the loads arising during feeding has been proposed
and dismissed in the past, but never tested quantitatively. To address
this, a biomechanical model of a domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus)
skull was created and the material properties of the falx and tentorium
were varied for a series of loading regimes incorporating the main
masticatory and neck muscles during biting. Under these loading
conditions, ossification of the falx cerebri does not have a significant
impact on the stress in the cranial bones. In the case of the tentorium,
however, a localised increase in stress was observed in the parietal and
temporal bones, including the tympanic bulla, when a non-ossified
tentorium was modelled. These effects were consistent across the different
analyses, irrespective of loading regime. The results suggest that
ossification of the tentorium cerebelli may play a minor role during
feeding activities by decreasing the stress in the back of the skull.