Our brain and spinal cord are incredibly important, delicate organs. Nature has given them a fantastic protective system: three tough, thin layers of tissue called the meninges. Think of these layers like the wrapping around the brain.
- The outer shield (Dura Mater): This is the outermost layer, right beneath your skull. It’s strong and protective, often called the “tough mother” – and for good reason, it provides a solid barrier.
- The spidery middle layer (Arachnoid Mater): This layer looks a bit like a spider’s web, with delicate threads reaching towards the inner layer. This is where the name “arachnoid” comes from.
- The gentle inner layer (Pia Mater): This layer is very thin and gentle, lying directly on the surface of your brain and spinal cord. It’s often referred to as the “gentle mother.”
Between the spidery middle layer (Arachnoid Mater) and the gentle inner layer (Pia Mater) is a space filled with a clear, watery liquid called Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF). This fluid constantly circulates, acting like a cushion for your brain, protecting it from bumps and shocks, and also carrying away waste products.
The brain’s own security system: The blood-brain barrier
Your brain has another amazing security feature: the blood-brain barrier. Unlike blood vessels in other parts of the body, the ones in your brain have very tightly packed linings. This acts like a super-strict barrier, allowing only essential nutrients to pass from your blood into your brain, while keeping out harmful substances, including most germs.
When infection strikes: How meningitis develops
Meningitis happens when an infection targets these protective meninges. The most dangerous types are usually caused by bacteria, though viruses can also cause meningitis.
In very young babies, for example, certain bacteria like Group B Streptococcus and E. coli are often responsible for meningitis.
Sometimes, bacteria can spread to the meninges from an infection in a nearby area, like a severe ear infection or sinus infection.
More commonly, bacteria enter the bloodstream from another part of the body and then travel towards the brain. They try to get past the blood-brain barrier. In certain spots, this barrier might be slightly weaker, or the bacteria might be particularly aggressive, allowing them to get through into the CSF.
In rarer cases, if someone has a birth injury that affects the skull or spine, or if they’ve had brain surgery, there might be a direct pathway for bacteria to get from the outside world straight to the meninges.
Once these bacteria get into the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) they find it’s a perfect environment. They can multiply incredibly quickly, turning that protective fluid into a breeding ground for infection.
How meningitis damages the brain
This rapid multiplication of bacteria in the CSF and the resulting inflammation are what cause the devastating effects of meningitis on the brain:
When meningitis takes hold, the infection inside those protective layers around the brain kicks off a dangerous chain reaction. The body’s immune system rushes in to fight the invaders, but this battle causes intense inflammation and swelling. Because the brain is trapped inside our skull, this swelling has nowhere to expand, leading to a high increase in pressure. This rising pressure on the brain can then squeeze its delicate tissues, disrupting their normal function. It can even press on vital blood vessels, cutting off the supply of oxygen and essential nutrients that brain cells desperately need, quickly leading to damage.
Adding to the problem, as the bacteria multiply and are fought off, they release toxins (harmful substances) that can directly damage brain cells and nerve fibres. The inflammation can also block the normal flow and absorption of Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) – the protective liquid cushioning your brain. When this fluid can’t drain properly, it builds up, further increasing the pressure inside the skull, a condition known as hydrocephalus.
In severe cases, the intense inflammation can even damage the walls of blood vessels within the brain, leading to blood clots and strokes. These clots can block vital blood flow, causing a stroke within the brain itself, which can result in permanent damage. Sometimes, the infection doesn’t stay confined to the meninges; it can spread directly into the brain tissue, causing a condition called encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). This is particularly serious and can lead to widespread brain damage.
What is the impact of untreated meningitis to the brain?
The speed at which all this happens is crucial. Bacterial meningitis, especially, can progress incredibly fast, sometimes causing severe damage or even death within hours if it’s not diagnosed and treated promptly with powerful antibiotics. The longer the delay in treatment, the more time the infection has to cause irreversible harm to the brain. This can lead to devastating, long-term consequences such as difficulties with thinking, learning, memory, and concentration (known as cognitive impairment). Individuals might also experience hearing loss, ranging from partial to complete deafness, and vision problems, including partial or total blindness. Damaged brain cells can lead to epilepsy (seizures), and there can be physical disabilities affecting movement, balance, and coordination. It can also cause challenging personality and behavioural changes for the individual and their family.
This is why, if there’s been a delay in diagnosing or treating meningitis, and it has led to harm, it’s considered medical negligence. The promptness of medical professionals in recognising the signs and acting quickly is vital in preventing severe brain injury from this aggressive infection.
How we can help
Enable Law has a team of specialist solicitors that support meningitis survivors and families impacted by meningitis understand if the treatment they received for their meningitis was negligent and help them access compensation to deal with the impact it has had on them.
Even though medical professionals are increasingly more aware of the early signs of meningitis sadly mistakes still happen and even relatively small delays in diagnosis can have life changing consequences for the patient.
If you have concerns about the treatment you or a loved one received, we are here to help you. Being closely linked to charity Meningitis Now means we have a deep understanding of meningitis and can help you understand what may have happened and how to go about rebuilding your life following it.
To have a free, confidential discussion with a member of our team call us on 0800 044 8488 or fill in our contact form here so we can call you back at a time convenient for you
