BLOOD SUPPLY OF BRAIN

PRESENTED BY: RUQAYYA ISRAR

 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• ARTRIES OF BRAIN
• CIRCLE OF WILLIS
• ARTRIES TO SPECIFIC BRAIN AREAS
• VEINS OF THE BRAIN
 ARTERIES OF BRAIN
• The brain is supplied by 4 arteries which lies
in the Subarachnoid space.
 2 Internal carotid arteries
2 Vertebral arteries
 INTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY
ORIGIN: It begins at the bifurcation of Common Carotid Artery.

COURSE:
It ascends the neck and perforates the base of the skull by passing through the carotid canal of temporal
bone.
Then it runs horizontally forward through the Cavernous Sinus and emerges on the medial side of the
anterior clinoid process.
It now enters the subarachnoid space by piercing the arachnoid mater.
At the region of medial end of the lateral cerebral sulcus it divides into Anterior and Middle cerebral
arteries.
CEREBRAL PORTION BRANCHES OF
INTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY

1) OPTHALMIC ARTERY
2) POSTERIOR COMMUNICATING ARTERY
3) CHOROIDAL ARTERY
4) ANTERIOR CEREBRAL ARTERY
5) MIDDLE CEREBRAL ARTERY
OPTHALMIC ARTERY:
It enters the orbit through the optic canal.
It supplies the Eye and other orbital structures.
Its terminal branches supplies;
 Frontal area of the scalp
 Ethmoid and Frontal sinuses
 Dorsum of the nose

POSTERIOR COMMUNICATING ARTERY:

It is a small vessel that originates from the Internal carotid artery.
It runs posteriorly above the oculomotor nerve to join the posterior cerebral
artery.
CHOROIDAL ARTERY:
It also originates from the internal carotid artery close to its terminal bifurcation.
It gives numerous small branches to;
 Crus Cerebri
 Lateral geniculate body
 Optic tract
 Internal capsule

ANTERIOR CEREBRAL ARTERY:

It runs forward and medially superior to the optic nerve and enters the longitudinal fissure of
the cerebrum.
Here it is joined to anterior cerebral artery of opposite side by the anterior communicating
artery.
The cortical branches supply the entire medial surface of the cerebral cortex.
Central branches supply;
 Parts of lentiform nuclei
 Caudate nuclei
 Internal capsule

MIDDLE CEREBRAL ARTERY:

Largest branch of internal carotid artery.
Runs laterally in the lateral cerebral sulcus.
Cortical branches supply the entire lateral surface of the hemisphere except for the narrow
strip supplied by the anterior cerebral artery, the occipital pole, and the inferolateral surface of
the hemisphere, which are supplied by the posterior cerebral artery.
Central branches supply the lentiform and caudate nuclei and the internal capsule.
 VERTEBRAL ARTERY

ORIGIN: First part of Subclavian artery.

COURSE:
It enters the skull through Foramen Magnum.
It pierces the dura and arachnoid mater to enter the Subarachnoid space.
At the lower border of the Pons, it joins the vessel of the opposite side to form
the Basilar artery.
 BRANCHES OF THE CRANIAL
PORTION OF VERTEBRAL ARTERY

1) MENINGEAL BRANCHES
2) POSTERIOR SPINAL ARTERY
3) ANTERIOR SPINAL ARTERY
4) POSTERIOR INFERIOR CEREBELLAR ARTERY
5) MEDULLARY ARTERIES
MENINGEAL BRANCHES:
They are small and supply the bone and dura in the cranial fossa.

POSTERIOR SPINAL ARTERY:

It descends on the posterior surface of the spinal cord.
The branches are reinforced by radicular arteries that enter the vertebral canal through the
intervertebral foramina.
ANTERIOR SPINAL ARTERY:
It is formed from a contributory branch from each vertebral artery near its termination.
The single artery descends on the anterior surface of the medulla oblongata and spinal cord.
POSTERIOR INFERIOR CEREBELLAR ARTERY:
It is the largest branch of the vertebral artery.
It supplies;
 Inferior surface of the vermis
 Central nuclei of the cerebellum
 Medulla oblongata
 Choroid plexus of the fourth ventricle

MEDULLARY ARTERIES:
They are very small branches that are distributed to the medulla oblongata.
 BASILAR ARTERY

Formed by the union of the two vertebral

arteries ascends on a groove on the
anterior surface of the pons.
At the upper border of the pons
It divides into two posterior cerebral arteries.
 BRANCHES

1) PONTINE ARTERIES
2) LABYRINTHINE ARTERY
3) ANTERIOR INFERIOR CEREBELLAR ARTERY
4) SUPERIOR CEREBELLAR ARTERY
5) POSTERIOR CEREBRAL ARTERY
PONTINE ARTERIES:
They are numerous small vessels that enter the substances of the pons.

LABYRINTHINE ARTERY:
It is a long, narrow artery that accompanies the facial and vestibulocochlear nerves into the
internal acoustic meatus and supplies the internal ear.
ANTERIOR INFERIOR CEREBELLAR ARTERY:
Supplies the anterior and inferior parts the cerebellum.
A few branches pass to the pons and medulla oblongata.

SUPERIOR CEREBELLAR ARTERY:

Arise close to the termination of the basilar artery.
Supplies superior surface of cerebellum and pons, the pineal gland and superior medullary
velum.
POSTERIOR CEREBRAL ARTERY:
It curves laterally and backward around the midbrain and is joined by the posterior
communicating branch of the interior carotid artery.
Cortical branches supplies the inferolateral and
medial surfaces of the temporal lobe and the lateral
and medial surfaces of the occipital lobe.
Central branches supply parts of thalamus and
lentiform nucleus as well as the midbrain,
the pineal and the geniculate bodies.
Choroidal branch supplies the choroid plexus.
 CIRCLE OF WILLIS
INTRODUCTION:
Hexagonal arterial circle
First described in a book written by Dr. Thomas Willis in 1664
Lies in the interpeduncular fossa at the base of the brain
 FORMATION
ANTERIORLY: Anterior communicating artery joining 2 anterior cerebral
arteries.

ANTERIOLATERALLY: Anterior cerebral arteries.

LATERALLAY: Internal carotid artery.
POSTERIOLATERALLY: Posterior communicating arteries.
POSTERIORLY: Posterior cerebral arteries.
FUNCTION:
Circle of Willis attempts to equalize the flow of blood to different parts of brain.
 ARTERIES TO SPECIFIC BRAIN
AREAS
CORPUS THALAMUS MIDBRAIN MEDULLA PONS CEREBELLUM
STRIATUM AND OBLONGATA
INTERNAL
CAPSULE

SUPPLIED • Medial and Branches of; • Posterior • Vertebral, • Basilar and • Superior
BY Lateral • Posterior Cerebral anterior and the anterior, cerebellar,
branches of the Communicating posterior inferior and anterior
Middle cerebral • Basilar • Superior spinal, superior inferior
artery • Posterior cerebellar posterior cerebellar cerebellar
Cerebral inferior arteries and Posterior
arteries • Basilar cerebellar inferior
arteries and basilar cerebellar
arteries arteries
 VEINS OF THE BRAIN
Veins of the brain have no muscular tissue in their very thin walls, and they
possess no valves.
Emerge from the brain and lie in the subarachnoid space.
They pierce the arachnoid mater and the meningeal layer of the dura and drain
into the cranial venous sinuses.
 VEINS OF THE BRAIN

EXTERNAL CEREBRAL VEINS INTERNAL CREBRAL VEINS

SUPERIOR CEREBRAL VEINS THALAMOSTRIATE VEIN

SUPERFICIAL MIDDLE CEREBRAL VEIN CHOROID VEIN
DEEP MIDDLE CEREBRAL VEIN
 EXTERNAL CEREBRAL VEINS
SUPERIOR CEREBRAL VEINS:
Empty into the superior sagittal sinus.
SUPERFICIAL MIDDLE CEREBRAL VEIN:
Drains the lateral surface of cerebral hemisphere and empties into the cavernous sinuses.
DEEP MIDDLE CEREBRAL VEIN:
Drains the Insula and is joined by the anterior cerebral and striate veins to form the basal vein.
The basal vein ultimately joins the great cerebral vein, which in turn drains into the straight
sinus.
 INTERNAL CEREBRAL VEINS
The 2 internal cerebral veins are formed by the union of THALAMOSTRIATE VEIN
and CHOROID VEIN at the interventricular foramen.
They empties into the straight sinus.
 VEINS OF THE SPECIFIC BRAIN
AREAS
MID BRAIN PONS MEDULLA CEREBELLUM
OBLONGATA

Drained by veins • Basal or great • Basal vein • Spinal veins • Great cerebral vein
that opens into cerebral veins • Cerebellar veins • Neighboring venous or
• Neighboring venous sinuses • Adjacent venous
sinuses sinuses