Session 4: Arterial Blood Supply to the Brain

Question 1

Blood supply of the brain can be divided into two circulations.

Which?

Answer 1

Anterior blood supply

Posterior blood supply

Question 2

What does the anterior blood supply of the brain arise from?

Answer 2

The internal carotid artery

Question 3

What does the posterior blood supply of the brain arise from?

Answer 3

The vertebral arteries

Question 4

What are the two main branches of the IC supplying the brain?

Answer 4

Anterior cerebral artery

Middle cerebral artery

Question 5

Explain the route of the anterior cerebral artery.

Answer 5

The anterior cerebral artery is a branch of the IC.

Both of the anterior cerebral arteries will then converge (they will not form one artery) and anastomose via the anterior communicating artery.

It will then loop over the corpus callosum and send branches (cortical branches) to the adjacent cortex.

Question 6

What will the anterior cerebral artery supply?

Answer 6

Corpus callosum itself

Medial aspect of the frontal and parietal lobes.

Question 7

Explain the route of the middle cerebral artery.

Answer 7

A direct continuation of the IC.

As it travels laterally it will give off branches called lenticulo arteries.

It will continue and cortical branches will emerge from the lateral fissure.

Question 8

What will the middle cerebral artery supply?

Answer 8

Deep grey matter, lentiform nucleus, caudate nucleus and internal capsule (lenticulo arteries)

Lateral parts of, frontal, parietal and superior temporal lobes.

Also occipital pole of occipital lobe. The relevance here is that the macula is supplied by the middle cerebral artery.

Question 9

Explain the route of the posterior supply of the brain.

Answer 9

Vertebral arteries converge and form one basilar artery.

Basilar artery will give off branches in the following:

Antero-inferior cerebellar arteries
Pontine arteries
Superior cerebellar arteries
Posterior cerebral arteries

Question 10

Direct branches of verterbral artery.

Answer 10

Anterior spinal artery

Posterior inferior cerebellar arteries.

Question 11

Anterior inferior cerebellar arteries supply:

Answer 11

Antero-inferior aspect of cerebellum

Lateral pons

Question 12

Pontines arteries supply:

Answer 12

Pons

Question 13

Superior cerebellar arteries supply:

Answer 13

Superior aspect of cerebellum

Midbrain

Question 14

Posterior cerebral arteries supply:

Answer 14

Occipital lobes
Inferior temporal lobes
Thalamus
Midbrain

Question 15

Purpose of posterior communicating artery.

Answer 15

Connect the posterior circulation to the anterior.

Question 16

Anterior spinal artery supplies:

Answer 16

Anterior 2/3 of spinal cord

Question 17

Posterior inferior cerebellar arteries supply:

Answer 17

Postero-inferior aspect of cerebellum

Question 18

What gives rise to the posterior communicating arteries?

Answer 18

The internal carotid

Question 19

What does the circle of willis consist of?

Answer 19

The Posterior communicating arteries

The Anterior cerebral arteries

The anterior communicating arteries

The Internal carotid arteries

The Posterior cerebral arteries

Question 20

What can be found in the circle of willis?

Answer 20

The pituitary gland

Question 21

What do the lenticulostriate arteries supply?

Answer 21

Internal capsule

Basal ganglia

Question 22

Most common artery in the anterior circulation to have a stroke of.

Answer 22

Middle cerebral artery

Question 23

Which artery is occluded in paralysis of lower limb?

Answer 23

Anterior cerebral artery

Question 24

Which artery is occluded in paralysis of upper limb or face?

Answer 24

Middle cerebral artery

Question 25

Most common artery in the posterior circulation to have as stroke of.

Answer 25

Posterior cerebral artery

Question 26

What can occlusion of the pontine arteries cause?

Answer 26

Locked-in syndrome

Question 27

3 arteries supplying the cerebellum.

Answer 27

Superior cerebellar artery

Anterior inferior cerebellar artery

Posterior inferior cerebellar artery

Question 28

Common way to get an anterior spinal artery stroke.

Answer 28

Aneurysm surgery