Anterior cerebral artery

Anterior cerebral artery
Anterior cerebral artery
	Outer surface of cerebral hemisphere, showing areas supplied by cerebral arteries. Areas supplied by the anterior cerebral artery are shown in blue.
	Medial surface of cerebral hemisphere. Areas supplied by the anterior cerebral artery are shown in blue.
Details
Source	internal carotid artery
Vein	cerebral veins
Supplies	cerebrum
Identifiers
Latin	arteria cerebri anterior
MeSH	D020771
TA98	A12.2.07.022
TA2	4502
FMA	50028
	Anatomical terminology [ edit on Wikidata]

Last updated February 11, 2023

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 the internal carotid artery and are part of the circle of Willis. The left and right anterior cerebral arteries are connected by the anterior communicating artery.

Structure

Arteries of the brain. Anterior cerebral artery labeled at the left (twice) Sobotta.3.1909.549.png — Arteries of the brain. Anterior cerebral artery labeled at the left (twice)

The anterior cerebral artery is divided into 5 segments. Its smaller branches: the callosal (supracallosal) arteries are considered to be the A4 and A5 segments.^[1]^[2]

A1 originates from the internal carotid artery and extends to the anterior communicating artery (AComm). The anteromedial central (medial lenticulostriate) arteries arise from this segment as well as the AComm, which irrigates the caudate nucleus and the anterior limb of the internal capsule
A2 extends from the AComm to the bifurcation forming the pericallosal and callosomarginal arteries. The recurrent artery of Heubner (distal medial striate artery), which irrigates the internal capsule, usually arises at the beginning of this segment near the AComm. Two branches arise from this segment:
- Orbitofrontal artery (medial frontal basal): Arises a small distance away from the AComm
- Frontopolar artery (polar frontal): Arises after the orbitofrontal, close to the curvature of A2 over the corpus callosum. It can also originate from the callosal marginal.
A3, also termed the pericallosal artery, is one of the (or the only) main terminal branches of the ACA, which extends posteriorly in the pericallosal sulcus to form the internal parietal arteries (superior, inferior) and the precuneal artery. This artery may form an anastomosis with the posterior cerebral artery .
- Callosal marginal artery: A commonly present terminal branch of the ACA, which bifurcates from the pericallosal artery. This artery in turn branches into the medial frontal arteries (anterior, intermediate, posterior), and the paracentral artery, with the cingulate branches arising throughout its length. Depending on anatomical variation, the callosal marginal artery may be none discrete or not be visible. In the latter case, the branches mentioned will originate from the pericallosal artery. In a study of 76 hemispheres, the artery was present in only 60% of the cases.^[3] Angiography studies cite that the vessel can be seen 67% ^[1] or 50%^[4] of the time.

Development

The anterior cerebral artery develops from a primitive anterior division of the internal carotid artery that initially supplies the optic and olfactory regions. This anterior division, which appears at the twenty-eighth day of development, also forms the middle cerebral artery and the anterior choroidal artery. The anterior cerebral arteries grow toward each other and form the anterior communicating artery at the 21–24 mm stage of the embryo.^[5]

Variation

The anterior cerebral artery shows considerable variation. In a study made using MRA, the most common variation was an underdeveloped A1 segment (5.6%), followed by the presence of an extra A2 segment (3%). In 2% of cases there was only one A2 segment.^[6]

Function

The anterior cerebral artery supplies a part of the frontal lobe, specifically its medial surface and the upper border. It also supplies the front four–fifths of the corpus callosum, and provides blood to deep structures such as the anterior limb of the internal capsule, part of the caudate nucleus, and the anterior part of the globus pallidus.^[7]

Clinical significance

Areas of the brain supplied by left anterior cerebral artery (represented in green color)

Occlusion

Strokes that occur in a part of the artery prior to the anterior communicating usually do not produce many symptoms because of collateral circulation. If a blockage occurs in the A2 segment or later, the following signs and symptoms may be noted:^[8]

Paralysis or weakness of the foot and leg on the opposite side, due to involvement of leg part of the motor cortex
Cortical sensory loss in the opposite foot and leg
Gait apraxia (impairment of gait and stance)
Abulia, akinetic mutism, slowness and lack of spontaneity
Urinary incontinence which usually occurs with bilateral damage in the acute phase
Frontal cortical release reflexes: Contralateral grasp reflex, sucking reflex, paratonic rigidity

Additional images

Anterior cerebral artery
Cerebral arteries seen from beneath. Anterior cerebral artery visible at centre.
The arterial circle and arteries of the brain (inferior view). The anterior cerebral arteries (top of figure) arise from the trifurcations of the internal carotid arteries.

Related Research Articles

Articles related to anatomy include:

The circle of Willis is a circulatory anastomosis that supplies blood to the brain and surrounding structures in reptiles, birds and mammals, including humans. It is named after Thomas Willis (1621–1675), an English physician.

Alien hand syndrome (AHS) or Dr. Strangelove syndrome is a category of conditions in which a person experiences their limbs acting seemingly on their own, without conscious control over the actions. There are a variety of clinical conditions that fall under this category, which most commonly affects the left hand. There are many similar terms for the various forms of the condition, but they are often used inappropriately. The affected person may sometimes reach for objects and manipulate them without wanting to do so, even to the point of having to use the controllable hand to restrain the alien hand. Under normal circumstances however, given that intent and action can be assumed to be deeply mutually entangled, the occurrence of alien hand syndrome can be usefully conceptualized as a phenomenon reflecting a functional "disentanglement" between thought and action.

The external carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck. It arises from the common carotid artery when it splits into the external and internal carotid artery. External carotid artery supplies blood to the face and neck.

The internal carotid artery 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 bifurcate at cervical vertebrae C3 or C4. The internal carotid artery supplies the brain, including the eyes, while the external carotid nourishes other portions of the head, such as the face, scalp, skull, and meninges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internal capsule</span> White matter structure situated in the inferomedial part of each cerebral hemisphere of the brain

The internal capsule is a white matter structure situated in the inferomedial part of each cerebral hemisphere of the brain. It carries information past the basal ganglia, separating the caudate nucleus and the thalamus from the putamen and the globus pallidus. The internal capsule contains both ascending and descending axons, going to and coming from the cerebral cortex. It also separates the caudate nucleus and the putamen in the dorsal striatum, a brain region involved in motor and reward pathways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lateral ventricles</span> Two largest ventricles in each cerebral hemisphere

The lateral ventricles are the two largest ventricles of the brain and contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Each cerebral hemisphere contains a lateral ventricle, known as the left or right ventricle, respectively.

The basilar artery is one of the arteries that supplies the brain with oxygen-rich blood.

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 basilar artery. As the supplying component of the vertebrobasilar vascular system, the vertebral arteries supply blood to the upper spinal cord, brainstem, cerebellum, and posterior part of brain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ophthalmic artery</span> Artery of the head

The ophthalmic artery (OA) is an artery of the head. It is the first branch of the internal carotid artery distal to the cavernous sinus. Branches of the ophthalmic artery supply all the structures in the orbit around the eye, as well as some structures in the nose, face, and meninges. Occlusion of the ophthalmic artery or its branches can produce sight-threatening conditions.

The middle cerebral artery (MCA) is one of the three major paired 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 and projects to many parts of the lateral cerebral cortex. It also supplies blood to the anterior temporal lobes and the insular cortices.

The anterior choroidal artery originates from the internal carotid artery. However, it may (rarely) arise from the middle cerebral artery.

The posterior cerebral artery (PCA) is one of a pair of cerebral arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the occipital lobe, part of the back of the human brain. The two arteries originate from the distal end of the basilar artery, where it bifurcates into the left and right posterior cerebral arteries. These anastomose with the middle cerebral arteries and internal carotid arteries via the posterior communicating arteries.

In human anatomy, the left and right posterior communicating arteries are arteries at the base of the brain that form part of the circle of Willis. Each posterior communicating artery connects the three cerebral arteries of the same side. Anteriorly, it connects to the internal carotid artery (ICA) prior to the terminal bifurcation of the ICA into the anterior cerebral artery and middle cerebral artery. Posteriorly, it communicates with the posterior cerebral artery.

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

The cerebral arteries describe three main pairs of arteries and their branches, which perfuse the cerebrum of the brain. The three main arteries are the:

The leptomeningeal collateral circulation is a network of small blood vessels in the brain that connects branches of the middle, anterior and posterior cerebral arteries, with variation in its precise anatomy between individuals. During a stroke, leptomeningeal collateral vessels allow limited blood flow when other, larger blood vessels provide inadequate blood supply to a part of the brain.

The recurrent artery of Heubner, Heubner's artery or distal medial striate artery is an artery in the head. It is named after the German paediatrician Otto Heubner. It is a branch of the anterior cerebral artery. Its vascular territory is the anteromedial section of the caudate nucleus and the anterioinferior section of the internal capsule, as well as parts of the putamen and septal nuclei.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orbitofrontal artery</span>

The orbitofrontal artery is one of the branches of the anterior cerebral artery, that supplies blood to the cerebrum. The orbitofrontal artery is usually the first cortical branch of the A2 segment, arising from the subcallosal segment to supply the inferior and inferomedial surfaces of the frontal lobe including the gyri recti.

References

1 2 Krayenbühl, Hugo; Yaşargil, Mahmut Gazi; Huber, Peter; Bosse, George (1982), Cerebral Angiography, Thieme, pp. 79–91, ISBN 978-0-86577-067-6
↑ Biller, J (2007). "Neurovascular System". Textbook of Clinical Neurology (Third Edition). Chapter 22: 405–434.
↑ SCHNEIDER, MARCO A. STEFANI; MARRONE, ANTONIO C. H.; SEVERINO, ANTONIO G.; JACKOWSKI, ANDREA P.; WALLACE, M. CHRISTOPHER (2000), "Anatomic Variations of Anterior Cerebral Artery Cortical Branches", Clinical Anatomy, 13 (4): 231–236, doi:10.1002/1098-2353(2000)13:4<231::aid-ca1>3.0.co;2-t, PMID 10873213, S2CID 6349855
↑ Osborn, Anne G.; Jacobs, John M. (1999), Diagnostic Cerebral Angiography, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, pp. 143–144, ISBN 978-0-397-58404-8
↑ Menshawi, K; Mohr, JP; Gutierrez, J (May 2015). "A Functional Perspective on the Embryology and Anatomy of the Cerebral Blood Supply". Journal of Stroke. 17 (2): 144–58. doi:10.5853/jos.2015.17.2.144. PMC 4460334 . PMID 26060802.
↑ Uchino, A; Nomiyama, K; Takase, Y; Kudo, S (September 2006). "Anterior cerebral artery variations detected by MR angiography". Neuroradiology. 48 (9): 647–52. doi:10.1007/s00234-006-0110-3. PMID 16786350. S2CID 8019565.
↑ Ropper, A.; Samuels, M.; Klein, J. (2014). Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill. p. 798. ISBN 978-0071794794.
↑ Longo, D; Fauci, A; Kasper, D; Hauser, S; Jameson, J; Loscalzo, J (2012). Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine (18th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 3286. ISBN 978-0071748896.

External links

MedEd at Loyola Neuro/neurovasc/navigation/aca.htm
Anatomy photo:28:09-0218 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center
http://neuroangio.org/anatomy-and-variants/anterior-cerebral-artery/
Atlas image: n3a8p1 at the University of Michigan Health System
"Anatomy diagram: 13048.000-1". Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator. Elsevier. Archived from the original on 2014-01-01.
"Anatomy diagram: 13048.000-3". Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator. Elsevier. Archived from the original on 2014-01-01.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[Kray-1] 1 2 Krayenbühl, Hugo; Yaşargil, Mahmut Gazi; Huber, Peter; Bosse, George (1982), Cerebral Angiography, Thieme, pp. 79–91, ISBN 978-0-86577-067-6

[2] Biller, J (2007). "Neurovascular System". Textbook of Clinical Neurology (Third Edition). Chapter 22: 405–434.

[3] SCHNEIDER, MARCO A. STEFANI; MARRONE, ANTONIO C. H.; SEVERINO, ANTONIO G.; JACKOWSKI, ANDREA P.; WALLACE, M. CHRISTOPHER (2000), "Anatomic Variations of Anterior Cerebral Artery Cortical Branches", Clinical Anatomy, 13 (4): 231–236, doi:10.1002/1098-2353(2000)13:4<231::aid-ca1>3.0.co;2-t, PMID 10873213, S2CID 6349855

[4] Osborn, Anne G.; Jacobs, John M. (1999), Diagnostic Cerebral Angiography, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, pp. 143–144, ISBN 978-0-397-58404-8

[menshawi-5] Menshawi, K; Mohr, JP; Gutierrez, J (May 2015). "A Functional Perspective on the Embryology and Anatomy of the Cerebral Blood Supply". Journal of Stroke. 17 (2): 144–58. doi:10.5853/jos.2015.17.2.144. PMC 4460334 . PMID 26060802.

[uchino-6] Uchino, A; Nomiyama, K; Takase, Y; Kudo, S (September 2006). "Anterior cerebral artery variations detected by MR angiography". Neuroradiology. 48 (9): 647–52. doi:10.1007/s00234-006-0110-3. PMID 16786350. S2CID 8019565.

[adams-7] Ropper, A.; Samuels, M.; Klein, J. (2014). Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill. p. 798. ISBN 978-0071794794.

[harrison-8] Longo, D; Fauci, A; Kasper, D; Hauser, S; Jameson, J; Loscalzo, J (2012). Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine (18th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 3286. ISBN 978-0071748896.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]