Brain Vasculature Flashcards
What are the two main arteries that supply blood to the brain?
- Internal carotid
2. Vertebral
What are the 3 major arteries of the cortex?
- Middle Cerebral Artery
- Anterior Cerebral
- Posterior cerebral
Which of the 3 major arteries of the cortex branch from the internal carotid?
- Middle cerebral
2. Anterior cerebral
Where does the Middle cerebral artery go and what does it supply?
- Branches off and runs in the Lateral/Sylvia fissure
2. Supplies most of what you would see from a lateral view of the brain
What is a key feature supplied with blood by the anterior cerebral artery and why is this important?
- Pericentral lobule
- This is the portion of the brain that provides innervation for the lower limbs
Where does the posterior cerebral artery supply blood and why is this important?
- Occipital lobe
2. Vision
What are the 3 arteries that supply the cerebellum with blood?
- Superior Cerebellar
- Anterior Inferior Cerebellar
- Posterior Inferior cerebellar
What nerves are located in the midbrain?
CN III and CN IV
What nerves are located in the pons?
CN V, VI, VII, VIII
What nerves are located in the medulla?
CN IX, X, XI, XII
What are the 3 tests to localize lesions in unconscious patients, what parts of the brainstem do these test for and what nerves are associate with the test?
- Pupillary light reflex (midbrain: oculomotor nerve)
- Corneal reflex: Input: Trigeminal
Output: Facial nerve - Gag reflex: Input: CN IX
Output: CN IX and X but predominantly X
Where does the midbrain (mesencephalon) get most of its blood supply?
- Basilar artery
- Posterior cerebral artery (choroidal branches)
- this is predominant source
Where does the pons (metencephalon) get its blood supply?
- Basilar artery: almost entirely
2. Anterior inferior cerebellar artery
Where does the medulla oblongota get its blood supply?
- Anterior spinal artery
- Vertebral artery
- PICA
What arteries form the two watershed areas on the brain?
- ACA-MCA
2. MCA-PCA
What structure is made of dura mater and separates the two hemispheres of the brain?
Fall Cerebri
What structure separates the occipital lobe from the cerebellum and is made of dura mater?
Tentorium Cerebelli
What important vasculature/nerves can be found running through the cavernous sinus?
- Inferior Carotid Artery
2. CN III, IV, V, VI
What route would an infection take to get from the Pterygoid plexus to the brain?
It would go through the angular artery and angular vein
What nerves/features would be affected by an infection that managed to get into the cavernous sinuses?
- CN II, III, IV, V, VI
2. Pituitary
What would be the first feature affect by cavernous sinus thrombosis?
CN VI
Where does an epidural hematoma occur?
Between Dura mater and inner table of skull. This usually happens with the middle meningeal artery
Where does a subdural hematoma happen?
- Below dura mater but above arachnoid mater
- usually an injury to bridging veins
- crescent shaped, does not enter sulci
Where would you find a subarachnoid aneurysm?
- space between the pia and arachnoid
- Rupture of arteries serving the brain
- fills the sulci
What is a subarachnoid hemorrage?
-bleeding into the subarachnoid space via a rupture of an intracranial vessel
Define Stroke
- Sudden onset of focal neurological dysfunction due to disrupted arterial flow o a portion of cerebral parenchyma
- Also referred to as cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
What are the two types of strokes?
- Hemorrhagic Stroke
2. Ischemic Stroke
What causes a Hemorrhagic Stroke?
-Hemorrhage/blood leaks into brain tissue
What causes an Ischemic Stroke?
-Clot stops blood supply to an area of the brain
What produces CSF fluid?
Produced in ventricles by the choroid plexus
T/F CSF flows through ventricles out to bath CNS
True
T/F CSF exits into arachnoid venous sinuses via dura granulation/villi
FALSE: It exits into DURAL venous sinuses via ARACHNOID granulations/ villi
What are the arteries that branch directly off the Internal carotid Artery?
- Ophthalmic
- Anterior Cerebral
- Middle Cerebral
What are the branches off the Vertebral Artery?
- PICA
2. Basilar
What branches off the basilar artery?
- AICA
- SCA
- Posterior Cerebral
What are the arteries that make up the Cerebral arterial circle of willis?
- Anterior communicating
- Anterior cerebral
- Internal Carotid
- Posterior Communicating
- Posterior Cerebral