14) Arterial Supply to the Brain

Question 1

What is the basilar artery and where does it lie?

Answer 1

Combination of vertebral arteries in the midline

Sits in front of the pons

Question 2

Where do the posterior cerebral arteries originate?

Answer 2

Bifurcation of basilar artery

Question 3

What are the branches of the basilar artery?

Answer 3

Anterior inferior cerebellar artery, pontine arteries and superior cerebellar arteries

Question 4

What are the branches of the vertebral arteries?

Answer 4

Posterior inferior cerebellar artery

Anterior spinal artery

Question 5

What arteries in the brain are formed from the internal carotid arteries?

Answer 5

Middle cerebral, anterior cerebral and posterior communicating arteries

Question 6

What vessel joins the two anterior cerebral arteries?

Answer 6

Anterior communicating artery

Question 7

Why is the circular organisation of the arterial supply to the brain important?

Answer 7

Shunting of blood to areas that it is needed

Compensation in case of blockage (collateral supply)

Question 8

Describe the path of the middle cerebral artery:

Answer 8

Run laterally over the insular cortex and emerge through Sylvian fissure onto surface of lateral hemipshere

Question 9

What does the middle cerebral artery supply?

Answer 9

Most of the lateral hemisphere
Basal ganglia and internal capsule
Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas

Question 10

Describe the path of the posterior cerebral artery:

Answer 10

Loops round midbrain and runs along inferior surface of posterior hemisphere

Question 11

What does the posterior cerebral artery supply?

Answer 11

Occipital lobe and inferior surface of temporal lobe (memory)

Question 12

Describe the path of the anterior cerebral artery:

Answer 12

Loops back over corpus callosum and runs on its superior surface

Question 13

What does the anterior cerebral artery supply?

Answer 13

Frontal lobes and medial surface of hemispheres

Question 14

What do the lenticulostriate arteries supply and where do they originate?

Answer 14

Originate from middle cerebral artery

Supply lentiform nucleus, striatum and internal capsule

Question 15

In what condition do lenticulostriate arteries become blocked?

Answer 15

Lacunar infarcts

Question 16

Why is it possible to get a pure motor/sensory stroke?

Answer 16

Motor and sensory fibres in the internal capsule are segregated so if one small branch of lenticulostriate artery is blocked may be a pure motor or sensory stroke

Question 17

How are the cerebellum and brainstem supplied (general)?

Answer 17

Cerebellar arteries - supply brainstem as they pass over it to get to cerebellum

Question 18

What is the major blood supply to spinal cord?

Answer 18

Anterior and posterior spinal arteries

Question 19

What parts of the cord are supplied by the anterior spinal artery?

Answer 19

Anterior 2/3rds of the cord - corticospinal, spinothalamic and ventral horns

Question 20

What parts of the cord are supplied by the posterior spinal artery?

Answer 20

Posterior 1/3rd of cord - dorsal columns and dorsal horns

Question 21

When can the artery of Adamkiewicz become damaged?

Answer 21

Aneurysm repair

Question 22

Which arteries supply the midbrain?

Answer 22

Posterior cerebral and superior cerebellar

Question 23

Which arteries supply the pons?

Answer 23

Pontine arteries and anterior inferior cerebellar

Question 24

Which arteries supply the medulla?

Answer 24

Posterior inferior cerebellar (lateral)

Vertebral (anterior)

Question 25

Where do the spinal arteries receive blood from?

Answer 25

Segmental vessels from the aorta