Cerebral circulation

Question 1

Label the branches of the internal carotid arteries.

Answer 1

Question 2

Which 2 arteries (4 if you include R & L) form the basis of the cerebral circulation?

Answer 2

The R & L internal carotid and the R & L vertebral arteries form the cerebral circulation.
Generally speaking the internal carotids supply the cerebral hemispheres (excluding the occipital lobes) and are considered responsible for anterior brain supply; and the vertebral arteries are responsible for supply to the occipital lobe, the brainstem and cerebellum and are therefore considered to be responsible for posterior brain blood supply.

Question 3

Cerebral circulation lies in the subarachnoid space. True or False?

Answer 3

True

Question 4

What are the terminal branches that come off the internal carotid artery in order from proximal branch point from the internal carotid to distal.

Answer 4

1. Opthalmic a. (travels anteriorly).
2. Posterior communicating a (travels posteriorly).
3. Anterior communicating a. (travels anteriorly - forming part of circle of willis).
4. Anterior choroidal a. (travels posterior and deep to lateral ventricles choroid plexuses).
5. Middle cerebral a. (travels laterally then superio-laterally).

Question 5

Which areas of the brain receive arterial supply from the ICA > Middle Cerebral? a.?

Answer 5

The Middle Cerebral a. is a terminal branch of the ICA. It travels laterally along the lateral fissure, and then superio-laterally. This means it gives blood supply to the lateral surface of the temporal lobe and the inferio-lateral surface of the frontal and parietal lobe.

Question 6

Which areas of the brain receive arterial supply from the ICA > Anterior cerebral a.?

Answer 6

The Anterior Cerebral a. is a terminal branch of the ICA.
It travels anterior and medially providing vascular supply to the medial frontal & parietal lobes, corpus callosum and superio-lateral parts of the frontal & parietal lobes.