Arterial Supply to the Brain

Question 1

What is the first input into the cerebral circulation?

Answer 1

Vertebral A that ascend up through the foramen magnum

Question 2

What do the vertebral A contribute to in regard to cerebral circulation ?

Answer 2

The posterior circulation of the brain

Question 3

What do the carotid A contribute to in regard to cerebral circulation?

Answer 3

Anterior circulation of the brain

Question 4

Describe the anterior cerebral circulation

Answer 4

2 major branches going to the brain from the internal carotid

IC = 1) anterior cerebral A, 2) middle cerebral A

Anterior communicating A + posterior communicating A connects the circle = circle of willis

Question 5

What does the anterior communicating A connect?

Answer 5

2 anterior cerebral A

Question 6

Which is the commonest A involving strokes?

Answer 6

Middle cerebral A

Supply a large area = strokes are very devastating

Question 7

What does the middle cerebral A supply?

Answer 7

Most of the lateral aspect of the cerebral hemisphere

Lateral aspect of frontal lobe

Lateral aspect of parietal lobe

Therefore the lateral aspects of the motor and sensory homunculus

Superior aspect of the temporal lobe

Question 8

What are the branches of the middle cerebral A?

Answer 8

Lenticulostriate A = very small = susceptible to emboli

Question 9

What does the anterior cerebral A supply?

Answer 9

Most medial portions of the frontal and parietal lobes

Question 10

Describe the posterior cerebral circulation

Answer 10

Vertebral A converge on the clivus = form midline vessel =basilar A

Basilar A bifurcates = 2 posterior cerebral A

Posterior cerebral A are connected to the anterior circulation by the posterior communicating A

Vertebral A has a proximal branches that converge = anterior spinal A

Question 11

What does the posterior cerebral A supply?

Answer 11

Occipital lobe

Inferior part of the temporal lobe

Midbrain

Question 12

What connects the posterior cerebral A to the anterior cerebral circulation?

Answer 12

Posterior communicating A

Question 13

What branches does the vertebral A give off?

Answer 13

Proximal branches that converge = anterior spinal A

Posterior inferior cerebellar A = supply posterior inferior cerebellum, medulla

Question 14

What does the anterior spinal A supply?

Answer 14

Anterior 2/3 of the spinal cord

Question 15

What are the branches of the basilar A?

Answer 15

Pontine A = supply pons (corticospinal tract)

Superior cerebellar A = supply superior cerebellum, midbrain

Anterior inferior cerebellar A = supply anterior inferior cerebellum, pons

Question 16

If one of the cerebellar A are damaged/occluded what structure will be effected?

Answer 16

Brainstem

Region of the cerebellum supplied

Question 17

What is the result from a basilar/pontine artery infarct?

Answer 17

Destruction of the corticospinal tract = locked in syndrome