Central arteries (or perforating or ganglionic arteries) of the

brain The brain is an organ (biology), organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It consists of nervous tissue and is typically located in the head (cephalization), usually near organs for ...

are numerous small

arteries An artery () is a blood vessel in humans and most other animals that takes oxygenated blood away from the heart in the systemic circulation to one or more parts of the body. Exceptions that carry deoxygenated blood are the pulmonary arteries in ...

branching from 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 adjacent arteries that often enter the substance of the brain through the

anterior Standard anatomical terms of location are used to describe unambiguously the anatomy of humans and other animals. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position pro ...

and posterior perforated substances. They supply structures of the base of the brain and internal structures of the cerebral hemispheres. They are separated into four principal groups: anteromedial central arteries; anterolateral central arteries (lenticulostriate arteries); posteromedial central arteries (paramedian arteries); and posterolateral central arteries.

Anteromedial central arteries

Anteromedial central arteries (also anteromedial perforating arteries, or anteromedial ganglionic arteries) are arteries that arise from the

anterior cerebral artery The anterior cerebral artery (ACA) is one of a pair of cerebral arteries that supplies oxygenated blood to most midline portions of the frontal lobes and superior medial parietal lobes of the brain. The two anterior cerebral arteries arise from th ...

and

anterior communicating artery In human anatomy, the anterior communicating artery is a blood vessel of the brain that connects the left and right anterior cerebral arteries. Anatomy The anterior communicating artery connects the two anterior cerebral arteries across the com ...

, and pass into the substance of the cerebral hemispheres through the (medial portion of) the

anterior perforated substance The anterior perforated substance is a part of the brain. It is bilateral. It is irregular and quadrilateral. It lies in front of the optic tract and behind the olfactory trigone. Structure The anterior perforated substance is bilateral. It ...

to supply the

optic chiasm In neuroanatomy, the optic chiasm, or optic chiasma (; , ), is the part of the brain where the optic nerves cross. It is located at the bottom of the brain immediately inferior to the hypothalamus. The optic chiasm is found in all vertebrates, ...

, ( anterior nucleus,

preoptic area The preoptic area is a region of the hypothalamus. MeSH classifies it as part of the anterior hypothalamus. TA lists four nuclei in this region, (medial, median, lateral, and periventricular). Functions The preoptic area is responsible for the ...

, and

supraoptic nucleus The supraoptic nucleus (SON) is a nucleus of magnocellular neurosecretory cells in the hypothalamus of the mammalian brain. The nucleus is situated at the base of the brain, adjacent to the optic chiasm. In humans, the SON contains about 3,000 ...

of the)

hypothalamus The hypothalamus (: hypothalami; ) is a small part of the vertebrate brain that contains a number of nucleus (neuroanatomy), nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions is to link the nervous system to the endocrin ...

lamina terminalis The lamina terminalis is a thin layer that forms the median portion of the wall of the forebrain. It stretches from the interventricular foramen (foramen of Monro) to the recess at the base of the optic stalk (optic nerve) and contains the vas ...

septum pellucidum The septum pellucidum (Latin for "translucent wall") is a thin, triangular, vertical double membrane separating the anterior horns of the left and right lateral ventricles of the brain. It runs as a sheet from the corpus callosum down to the f ...

, (anterior portions of the)

columns of fornix The fornix (from ; : fornices) is a C-shaped bundle of nerve fibers in the brain that acts as the major output tract of the hippocampus. The fornix also carries some afferent fibers to the hippocampus from structures in the diencephalon and basal ...

rostrum of corpus callosum The corpus callosum (Latin for "tough body"), also callosal commissure, is a wide, thick nerve tract, consisting of a flat bundle of commissural fibers, beneath the cerebral cortex in the brain. The corpus callosum is only found in placental ma ...

, (anterior portion of)

putamen The putamen (; from Latin, meaning "nutshell") is a subcortical nucleus (neuroanatomy), nucleus with a rounded structure, in the basal ganglia nuclear group. It is located at the base of the forebrain and above the midbrain. The putamen and c ...

, head of

caudate nucleus The caudate nucleus is one of the structures that make up the corpus striatum, which is part of the basal ganglia in the human brain. Although the caudate nucleus has long been associated with motor processes because of its relation to Parkinso ...

, and

cingulate cortex The cingulate cortex is a part of the brain situated in the medial aspect of the cerebral cortex. The cingulate cortex includes the entire cingulate gyrus, which lies immediately above the corpus callosum, and the continuation of this in the cin ...

Anterolateral central arteries

The anterolateral central arteries or lenticulostriate arteries (also anterolateral perforating arteries, anterolateral ganglionic arteries, striate arteries, or lateral striate arteries; latin ''aa. centrales anterolaterales,'' or ''aa. lenticulostriatae'') are a group of small arteries mostly arising from (the initial M1 part of) the

middle cerebral artery The middle cerebral artery (MCA) is one of the three major paired cerebral artery, cerebral arteries that supply blood to the cerebrum. The MCA arises from the internal carotid artery and continues into the lateral sulcus where it then branches an ...

that enter the brain through the

to provide arterial supply to parts of the

basal ganglia The basal ganglia (BG) or basal nuclei are a group of subcortical Nucleus (neuroanatomy), nuclei found in the brains of vertebrates. In humans and other primates, differences exist, primarily in the division of the globus pallidus into externa ...

. They are end arteries. The name of these arteries is derived from some of the structures they supply, namely the

lentiform nucleus The lentiform nucleus (or lentiform complex, lenticular nucleus, or lenticular complex) are the putamen (laterally) and the globus pallidus (medially), collectively. Due to their proximity, these two structures were formerly considered one, howev ...

and the

striatum The striatum (: striata) or corpus striatum is a cluster of interconnected nuclei that make up the largest structure of the subcortical basal ganglia. The striatum is a critical component of the motor and reward systems; receives glutamat ...

Distribution

The ALCAs supply the: * posterior portion of the

** (head of)

* (lateral portion of)

globus pallidus The globus pallidus (GP), also known as paleostriatum or dorsal pallidum, is a major component of the Cerebral cortex, subcortical basal ganglia in the brain. It consists of two adjacent segments, one external (or lateral), known in rodents simpl ...

* (all parts of)

internal capsule The internal capsule is a paired white matter structure, as a two-way nerve tract, tract, carrying afferent nerve fiber, ascending and efferent nerve fiber, descending axon, fibers, to and from the cerebral cortex. The internal capsule is situate ...

(

anterior limb The internal capsule is a paired white matter structure, as a two-way tract, carrying ascending and descending fibers, to and from the cerebral cortex. The internal capsule is situated in the inferomedial part of each cerebral hemisphere of th ...

genu Genu, a Latin word for "knee," may refer to: * Genu of internal capsule * Genu of the corpus callosum * Genu recurvatum * Genu valgum * Genu varum Genu varum (also called bow-leggedness, bandiness, bandy-leg, and tibia vara) is a varus defo ...

, and - a portion of -

posterior limb The internal capsule is a paired white matter structure, as a two-way tract, carrying ascending and descending fibers, to and from the cerebral cortex. The internal capsule is situated in the inferomedial part of each cerebral hemisphere of th ...

) *

claustrum The claustrum (Latin, meaning "to close" or "to shut") is a thin sheet of neurons and supporting glial cells in the brain, that connects to the cerebral cortex and subcortical regions including the amygdala, hippocampus and thalamus. It is locate ...

external capsule The external capsule is a series of white matter fiber tracts in the brain. These fibers run between the most lateral (toward the side of the head) segment of the lentiform nucleus (more specifically the putamen) and the claustrum. The white matt ...

The distal medial striate artery (Recurrent artery of Heubner) arises either from the middle cerebral artery or

, and supplies the rostral/anterior portion of the caudate nucleus and putamen, and the anterior limb and genu of the

Clinical significance

Blockage of the lenticulostriate arteries causes

lacunar stroke Lacunar stroke or lacunar cerebral infarct (LACI) is the most common type of ischemic stroke, resulting from the Vascular occlusion, occlusion of small penetrating artery, arteries that provide blood to the brain's deep structures. Patients who pr ...

s. These infarcts are most often due to hyaline arteriosclerosis secondary to

hypertension Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a Chronic condition, long-term Disease, medical condition in which the blood pressure in the artery, arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms i ...

. This can lead to contralateral

paresis In medicine, paresis (), compound word from Greek , (πᾰρᾰ- “beside” + ἵημι “let go, release”), is a condition typified by a weakness of voluntary movement, or by partial loss of voluntary movement or by impaired movement. Whe ...

(muscular weakness) and/or sensory loss of the face and body.

Posteromedial central arteries

The posteromedial central arteries or paramedian arteries (also posteromedial perforating arteries, or posteromedial ganglionic arteries) are branches of the

posterior cerebral artery The posterior cerebral artery (PCA) is one of a pair of cerebral arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the occipital lobe, as well as the medial and inferior aspects of the temporal lobe of the human brain. The two arteries originate from the d ...

, and

posterior communicating artery In human anatomy, the left and right posterior communicating arteries are small arteries at the base of the brain that form part of the circle of Willis. Anteriorly, it unites with the internal carotid artery (ICA) (prior to the terminal bifurcat ...

. They enter the substance of the brain through the

posterior perforated substance The posterior perforated substance (PPS) is a layer of gray matter which is pierced by small apertures for the transmission of blood vessels. Its inferior part lies on the ventral aspect of the medial portions of the tegmenta and contains the inte ...

. They supply a large portion of the

diencephalon In the human brain, the diencephalon (or interbrain) is a division of the forebrain (embryonic ''prosencephalon''). It is situated between the telencephalon and the midbrain (embryonic ''mesencephalon''). The diencephalon has also been known as t ...

as well as some subcortical

telencephalic The cerebrum (: cerebra), 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 olfac ...

structures. The thalamoperforating arteries are posteromedial central arteries which supply parts of the

thalamus The thalamus (: thalami; from Greek language, Greek Wikt:θάλαμος, θάλαμος, "chamber") is a large mass of gray matter on the lateral wall of the third ventricle forming the wikt:dorsal, dorsal part of the diencephalon (a division of ...

. According to the ''Medical Dictionary of the French Academy of Medicine'', a single thalamoperforating artery arises from the (pre-communicating (P1) segment of) the

, piercing the

to reach and supply the ventral portion of the thalamus. The ''Sobotta Anatomy Textbook'' (2018) distinguishes an anterior thalamoperforating artery which arises from the

and supplies the rostral portion of the thalamus, and a posterior thalamoperforating artery which supplies multiple

thalamic nuclei This traditional list does not accord strictly with human thalamic anatomy. Nuclear groups of the thalamus include: * anterior nuclear group (anteroventral, anterodorsal, anteromedial) *medial nuclear group (medial dorsal nucleus, dorsomedial) * ...

Origin

PMCAs arise from the proximal ( pre-communicating segment (P1) of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA), and along the entire length of the

(though branches arising from the latter may be considered as a distinct anatomical entity). The PMCAs thus arise at and near the bifurcation of the

basilar artery The basilar artery (U.K.: ; U.S.: ) is one of the arteries that supplies the brain with oxygen-rich blood. The two vertebral arteries and the basilar artery are known as the vertebral basilar system, which supplies blood to the posterior part o ...

. The PMCAs are the very first branches of the PCA.

Course

PMCAs intermingle to form an extensive

venous plexus In vertebrates, a venous plexus is a normal congregation anywhere in the body of multiple veins. A list of venous plexuses: * Basilar plexus * Batson venous plexus * Epidural venous plexus * External vertebral venous plexuses * Internal ve ...

in the

interpeduncular fossa The interpeduncular fossa is a deep depression of the ventral surface of the midbrain between the two cerebral crus, cerebal crura. It has been found in humans and macaques, but not in rats or mice, showing that this is a relatively new evolutiona ...

before entering the substance of the brain through the

, then also passing through the posterior part of the

along their path.

Distribution

The PMCAs supply a substantial part of the diencephalon. The PMCAs are distributed to: *

* (lateral wall of)

third ventricle The third ventricle is one of the four connected cerebral ventricles of the ventricular system within the mammalian brain. It is a slit-like cavity formed in the diencephalon between the two thalami, in the midline between the right and lef ...

, * (parts of the)

(partially via the

thalamoperforating artery Central arteries (or perforating or ganglionic arteries) of the brain are numerous small arteries branching from the Circle of Willis, and adjacent arteries that often enter the substance of the brain through the anterior and posterior perforated ...

) *

subthalamus The subthalamus or ventral thalamus is a part of the diencephalon. Its most prominent structure is the subthalamic nucleus. The subthalamus connects to the globus pallidus, a subcortical nucleus of the basal ganglia. Structure The subthalamus ...

mammillary bodies The mammillary bodies also mamillary bodies, are a pair of small round brainstem nuclei. They are located on the undersurface of the brain that, as part of the diencephalon, form part of the limbic system. They are located at the ends of the ant ...

pituitary gland The pituitary gland or hypophysis is an endocrine gland in vertebrates. In humans, the pituitary gland is located at the base of the human brain, brain, protruding off the bottom of the hypothalamus. The pituitary gland and the hypothalamus contr ...

and

tracts Tract may refer to: Geography and real estate * Housing tract, an area of land that is subdivided into smaller individual lots * Land lot or tract, a section of land * Census tract, a geographic region defined for the purpose of taking a census ...

tuber cinereum The tuber cinereum is the portion of hypothalamus forming the floor of the third ventricle situated between the optic chiasm, and the mammillary bodies. The tuberal region is one of the three regions of the hypothalamus, the other two being the ...

* posterior limb of internal capsule * mesencephalon (midbrain) ** basis pedunculi **

substantia nigra The substantia nigra (SN) is a basal ganglia structure located in the midbrain that plays an important role in reward and movement. ''Substantia nigra'' is Latin for "black substance", reflecting the fact that parts of the substantia nigra a ...

mesencephalic tegmentum The midbrain is anatomically delineated into the tectum (roof) and the tegmentum (floor). The midbrain tegmentum extends from the substantia nigra to the cerebral aqueduct in a horizontal section of the midbrain. It forms the floor of the midbrain ...

Clinical significance

embolus An embolus (; : emboli; from the Greek ἔμβολος "wedge", "plug") is an unattached mass that travels through the circulatory system, bloodstream and is capable of creating blockages. When an embolus Vascular occlusion, occludes a blood vess ...

passing along a vertebral artery will typically continue into the basilar artery before finally lodging at the bifurcation of the basilar artery, thus bilaterally obstructing the PMCAs (as well as the

superior cerebellar artery The superior cerebellar artery (SCA) is an artery of the head. It arises near the end of the basilar artery. It is a branch of the basilar artery. It supplies parts of the cerebellum, the midbrain, and other nearby structures. It is the cause of t ...

); such occlusion of the PMCAs will swiftly result in infarction of the

reticular formation The reticular formation is a set of interconnected nuclei in the brainstem that spans from the lower end of the medulla oblongata to the upper end of the midbrain. The neurons of the reticular formation make up a complex set of neural networks ...

at the level of the mesencephalon-pons junction (resulting in coma) as well as destruction of the fibers of both oculomotor nerve (CN III) (resulting in divergence of both eyes, and fixed

mydriasis Mydriasis is the Pupillary dilation, dilation of the pupil, usually having a non-physiological cause, or sometimes a physiological pupillary response. Non-physiological causes of mydriasis include disease, Physical trauma, trauma, or the use of c ...

). An embolism of a single PMCA at mesencephalic levels may result in a small infarction of the mesencephalon, causing

Weber's syndrome Weber's syndrome, also known as midbrain stroke syndrome or superior alternating hemiplegia, is a form of stroke that affects the medial portion of the midbrain. It involves oculomotor fascicles in the interpeduncular cisterns and cerebral peduncl ...

Uncal herniation Brain herniation is a potentially deadly side effect of very high pressure within the skull that occurs when a part of the brain is squeezed across structures within the skull. The brain can shift across such structures as the falx cerebri, the t ...

can cause compression of the PMCAs, which may result in Duret haemorrhages.

Posterolateral central arteries

Posterolateral central arteries (also posterolateral perforating arteries, or posterolateral ganglionic arteries) are arteries that arise from the

distal to its first - pre-communicating (P1) -segment (i.e. distal to the origin of the

). They are distributed to the: * (lateral part of)

cerebral peduncle The cerebral peduncles (In Latin, ''ped-'' means 'foot'.) are the two stalks that attach the cerebrum to the brainstem. They are structures at the front of the midbrain which arise from the ventral pons and contain the large ascending (sensor ...

tectum The midbrain or mesencephalon is the uppermost portion of the brainstem connecting the diencephalon and cerebrum with the pons. It consists of the cerebral peduncles, tegmentum, and tectum. It is functionally associated with vision, hearing, mo ...

corpora quadrigemina In the brain, the corpora quadrigemina (Latin for "quadruplet bodies") are the four colliculi—two inferior, two superior—located on the tectum of the dorsal aspect of the midbrain The midbrain or mesencephalon is the uppermost portion of ...

(i.e.

superior Superior may refer to: *Superior (hierarchy), something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind Places * Superior (proposed U.S. state), an unsuccessful proposal for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to form a separate state *Lak ...

and inferior colliculi) *

pineal gland The pineal gland (also known as the pineal body or epiphysis cerebri) is a small endocrine gland in the brain of most vertebrates. It produces melatonin, a serotonin-derived hormone, which modulates sleep, sleep patterns following the diurnal c ...

* (via the thalamogeniculate arteries) (the posterior parts of)

medial geniculate nucleus The medial geniculate nucleus (MGN) or medial geniculate body (MGB) is part of the auditory thalamus and represents the thalamic relay between the inferior colliculus (IC) and the auditory cortex (AC). It is made up of a number of sub-nuclei that ...

lateral geniculate nucleus In neuroanatomy, the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN; also called the lateral geniculate body or lateral geniculate complex) is a structure in the thalamus and a key component of the mammalian visual pathway. It is a small, ovoid, Anatomical ter ...

** ventral lateral nucleus of thalamus

References

External links

* * http://www.dartmouth.edu/~humananatomy/part_8/chapter_43.html {{Portal bar, Anatomy Arteries of the head and neck

Anteromedial central arteries

Anterolateral central arteries

Distribution

Clinical significance

Posteromedial central arteries

Origin

Course

Distribution

Clinical significance

Posterolateral central arteries

See also

References

Further reading

External links