Posterior cerebral artery

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Template:Infobox Artery

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In human anatomy, the posterior cerebral artery is the blood vessel that supplies oxygenated blood to the posterior aspect of the brain (occipital lobe). It arises from the basilar artery and connects with the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery and internal carotid artery via the posterior communicating artery.

Branches

The branches of the posterior cerebral artery are divided into two sets, ganglionic and cortical:

Ganglionic branches

  • The postero-medial ganglionic branches are a group of small arteries which arise at the commencement of the posterior cerebral artery: these, with similar branches from the posterior communicating, pierce the posterior perforated substance, and supply the medial surfaces of the thalami and the walls of the third ventricle.
  • The postero-lateral ganglionic branches are small arteries which arise from the posterior cerebral artery after it has turned around the cerebral peduncle; they supply a considerable portion of the thalamus.

Cortical branches

The cortical branches are:

Pathology

Because the artery supplies much of the occipital lobe, occlusions can lead to deficiencies in visual perception.

See also

Additional images

External links

Template:Arteries of head and neck

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