Session 4: Introduction to Blood Supply

Question 1

What is the anterior circulation fed by?

Answer 1

-Internal carotid arteries

Question 2

What is the posterior circulation fed by?

Answer 2

• Vertebral arteries

- Supples the brainstem, cerebellum, some of the temporal lobe and occipital lobe.

Question 3

What is the effect of the vascular circle?

Answer 3

Allows some form of collateral supply and gives a level of redundancy

Question 4

What is the middle cerebral artery?

Answer 4

• Direct continuation of the internal carotid artery
• Cortical branches emerge from lateral tissue to supply lateral aspects of the cerebral hemisphere
• Deep branches emerge from MCA (lenticulostriate arteries)

Question 5

Why are lenticulostriate arteries in danger?

Answer 5

-Small and can embolism easily

Question 6

Which areas of the brain are supplied by the middle cerebral artery?

Answer 6

-Lateral aspects of the frontal lobe (lateral aspects of motor homunculus)
-Lateral aspects of the parietal lobe (lateral aspect of the sensory homunculus)
-Superior temporal lobe
-Basal Ganglia (Lentiform nucleus and Caudate)
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Question 7

What is the path of the anterior cerebral arteries?

Answer 7

• Branch of the internal carotid arteries

- Vessel loop over the corpus callosum and send branches to adjacent cortex

Question 8

Which areas of the brain are supplied by the anterior cerebral arteries?

Answer 8

• Medial portion of the frontal lobe (medial portion of motor homunculus)
• Medial portion of the parietal lobe (medial portion of the sensory homunculus)

Question 9

How do the left and right anterior cerebral arteries anastomose?

Answer 9

-Anastomose in the midline via the anterior communicating artery

Question 10

What is the path of the basilar artery?

Answer 10

• Midline vessel formed from the confluence of vertebral arteries which converge at the clivus to form midline structure
• Ascend up the brain stem
• Terminal bifurcation gives rise to posterior cerebral arteries
• Give rise to superior cerebellar artery, pontine artery, anterior inferior cerebellar artery

Question 11

What Branches are given of from the veterbral arteries?

Answer 11

• Anterior spinal arteries

- Posterior inferior cerebellar arteries

Question 12

What does the posterior cerebral artery supply?

Answer 12

• Supplies occipital lobe, inferior temporal lobe and thalamus (via thalamoperforator and thalamogeniculate branches)
• Also supplies midbrain en passant

Question 13

How do the posterior cerebral arteries communicate with the circle of willis?

Answer 13

Posterior communicating arteries branch from these to connect with the anterior circulation (internal carotid artery) forming the circle of Willis

Question 14

What does the superior cerebellar artery supply?

Answer 14

• Superior aspect of the cerebellum

- Midbrain en passant

Question 15

What does the pontine artery supply?

Answer 15

-Pons (including descending corticospinal fibres).

Question 16

What can a pontine artery stroke lead to?

Answer 16

Can cause locked in syndrome which means only the eyes can be moved as the motor parts have blood supply cut off.

Question 17

What does the anterior inferior cerebellar artery supply?

Answer 17

Supplies the antero-inferior aspect of the cerebellum

-Lateral pons en passant.

Question 18

What does the anterior spinal artery supply?

Answer 18

Anterior 2/3 of the spinal cord

Question 19

What does the posterior inferior cerebellar arteries supply?

Answer 19

Posters-Inferior aspect of cerebellum en passant