The basilar artery () is one of the

arteries An artery (plural arteries) () is a blood vessel in humans and most animals that takes blood away from the heart to one or more parts of the body (tissues, lungs, brain etc.). Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the two exceptions are the pu ...

that supplies the

brain A brain is an organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It is located in the head, usually close to the sensory organs for senses such as vision. It is the most complex organ in a ve ...

with oxygen-rich blood. The two

vertebral arteries The vertebral arteries are major arteries of the neck. Typically, the vertebral arteries originate from the subclavian arteries. Each vessel courses superiorly along each side of the neck, merging within the skull to form the single, midline ...

and the basilar artery are known as the vertebral basilar system, which supplies blood to the posterior part of the

circle of Willis The circle of Willis (also called Willis' circle, loop of Willis, cerebral arterial circle, and Willis polygon) is a circulatory anastomosis that supplies blood to the brain and surrounding structures in reptiles, birds and mammals, including huma ...

and joins with blood supplied to the anterior part of the circle of Willis from the

internal carotid arteries The internal carotid artery (Latin: arteria carotis interna) is an artery in the neck which supplies the anterior circulation of the brain. In human anatomy, the internal and external carotids arise from the common carotid arteries, where these ...

Structure

The basilar artery arises from the union of the two

at the junction between the medulla oblongata and the

pons The pons (from Latin , "bridge") is part of the brainstem that in humans and other bipeds lies inferior to the midbrain, superior to the medulla oblongata and anterior to the cerebellum. The pons is also called the pons Varolii ("bridge of Va ...

between the abducens nerves (CN VI). The diameter of the basilar artery range from 1.5 to 6.6 mm. It ascends superiorly in the basilar sulcus of the ventral

and divides at the junction of the midbrain and pons into the posterior cerebral arteries. Its branches from caudal to rostral include: *

anterior inferior cerebellar artery The anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is one of three pairs of arteries that supplies blood to the cerebellum. It arises from the basilar artery on each side at the level of the junction between the medulla oblongata and the pons in the ...

labyrinthine artery The labyrinthine artery (auditory artery, internal auditory artery) is a branch of either the anterior inferior cerebellar artery or the basilar artery. It accompanies the vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII) through the internal acoustic meatus. ...

(<15% of people, usually branches from the anterior inferior cerebellar artery) *

pontine arteries The pontine arteries are a number of small arteries which come off at right angles from either side of the basilar artery and supply the pons and adjacent parts of the brain. The pontine arteries include the paramedian arteries The paramedian arte ...

* superior cerebellar artery

Clinical relevance

A basilar artery stroke classically leads to

locked-in syndrome Locked-in syndrome (LIS), also known as pseudocoma, is a condition in which a patient is aware but cannot move or communicate verbally due to complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles in the body except for vertical eye movements and bli ...

Additional images

File:Gray513.png, The internal carotid and vertebral arteries (Right side view) File:Circle of Willis 6.jpg, Basilar artery File:Sobo 1909 3 548.png, The arteries of the base of the brain. Basilar artery labeled below center. The temporal pole of the

cerebrum The cerebrum, telencephalon or endbrain is the largest part of the brain containing the cerebral cortex (of the two cerebral hemispheres), as well as several subcortical structures, including the hippocampus, basal ganglia, and olfactory bulb ...

and the

cerebellar The cerebellum (Latin for "little brain") is a major feature of the hindbrain of all vertebrates. Although usually smaller than the cerebrum, in some animals such as the mormyrid fishes it may be as large as or even larger. In humans, the cereb ...

hemisphere have been removed on the right side. Inferior aspect (viewed from below).

References

External links

Basilar Artery at neuroangio.org
* - "Cranial Fossae: Arteries, Inferior Surface of the Brain"

* * {{Authority control Arteries of the head and neck