Cerebral Vasculature

Question 1

What are the three main vessels supplying blood to the brain?

Answer 1

-Internal Carotid
-Common Carotid
-Vertebral Artery

Question 2

List the 8 main arteries in the brain, from anterior to posterior. AAIMPPBV.

Answer 2

-Anterior communicating artery
-Anterior cerebral artery
-Internal carotid artery
-Middle cerebral artery
-Posterior communicating artery
-Posterior cerebral artery
-Basilar artery
-Vertebral artery

Question 3

Describe the order of venous drainage out of the brain.

Answer 3

1.Cerebral veins
2.Venous sinuses in the dura matter.
Superior sagittal
Straight
Confluence
Transverse
Sigmoid
3.Internal jugular vein

Question 4

What is an extradural/epidural hemorrhage caused by and how does it present clinically.

Answer 4

Caused by trauma, immediate clinical effects due to high arterial pressure.

Question 5

What is a subdural hemorrhage caused by and how does it present clinically.

Answer 5

Caused by trauma, delayed clinical effects due to low venous pressure.

Question 6

What is a sub arachnoid hemorrhage caused by.

Answer 6

Ruptured aneurysms.

Question 7

What is an intracerebral hemorrhage caused by.

Answer 7

Spontaneous, hypertensive causes.

Question 8

What is a transient ischaemic attack

Answer 8

rapidly developing focal disturbance of brain function of presumed vascular origin that resolves completely within 24 hours. eg: rapidly developing weakness in left arm that resolves within 24 hours.

Question 9

What does the term infarction mean.

Answer 9

Infarction: Degenerative changes which occur in tissue following occlusion of an artery

Question 10

What does the term cerebral ischaemia mean.

Answer 10

Cerebral ischaemia: Lack of sufficient blood supply to nervous tissue resulting in permanent damage if blood flow is not restored quickly

Question 11

What does the term thrombosis mean.

Answer 11

Formation of a blood clot

Question 12

What does the term embolism mean.

Answer 12

Plugging of small vessel by material carried from larger vessel e.g. thrombi from the heart or atherosclerotic debris from the internal carotid

Question 13

Anterior cerebral artery occlusion symptoms.

Answer 13

-Paralysis of contralateral structures
-Disturbance of intellect and behavioral changes

Question 14

Middle cerebral artery occlusion symptoms. (Typical stroke)

Answer 14

-Contralateral hemiplegia (paralysis)
-Contralateral hemisensory deficits
-Hemianopia (blindness)
-Aphasia difficulty talking and understanding

Question 15

Posterior cerebral artery occlusion symptoms.

Answer 15

Visual defects.