JBL Module 3 Practice Exam 2026 – Complete Study Guide

As people age, the brain tends to shrink (cerebral atrophy). This shrinking creates more space between the brain and the inner skull. Bridging veins run across that space from the brain to the dura, and when the brain recedes, these veins become stretched and more fragile. Even minor head trauma or sudden movements can tear them, allowing blood to collect between the dura and the brain—an intracranial bleed known as a subdural hematoma. This connection between age-related brain shrinkage and the higher risk of bleeding is why shrinkage of the brain is the most direct factor. Other options don’t align as closely with this mechanism: vessel dilation can influence bleeding in other contexts, but it doesn’t specifically explain the age-related rise in intracranial bleeding; meninges or neuron loss aren’t the primary drivers of this bleeding risk in aging.