Question

Describe the path of blood flow from the internal carotid artery and its branches. Describe the path of blood flow from the vertebral artery and basilar artery and its branches.

Answer 1

1.

• The internal carotid is responsible for supplying blood to the nearest brain hemisphere with the help of the basilar artery.
• The vertebra-basilar system supplies blood when the carotid artery cannot do so (due to a blockage, for example).
• The internal cartoid artery moves upward, along the neck, passing behind the ear into the subarachnoid space near the temporal lobe.
• It divides into two branches, the middle cerebral artery and anterior cerebral artery.

2.

Vertebral artery of left and right side join to form Basilar artery.

• The basilar artery carries oxygenated blood to the cerebellum, brainstem, and occipital lobes.

• Several arteries branch from the basilar artery at the upper portion of the brainstem, delivering blood to various regions of the brain.

• Two posterior cerebral arteries lead to the temporal lobes (important for processing of sounds) and the outer layer of the occipital lobes.

• A pair of superior cerebellar arteries, another pair of anterior inferior cerebellar arteries, and several paramedian and circumferential pontine arteries also branch from the basilar artery.

• Cerebellar arteries supply the cerebellum and pontine arteries supply the pons, which relays information between different areas of the brain.