Anatomy study note · Head and neck
Vertebral and basilar arteries
The vertebral artery, from the first part of the subclavian artery, climbs through the foramina transversaria of C1–C6 and enters the skull through the foramen magnum; the two join at the lower border of the pons to form the basilar artery.
Key points
- 1st part of the subclavian → C6–C1 foramina transversaria → foramen magnum.
- Two vertebrals → basilar at the lower border of the pons.
- Basilar → pons, cerebellum, inner ear, posterior cerebrals.
- Vertebral: 7th cervical intersegmental + post-costal anastomoses + C1 spinal branch.
- Cerebral atherosclerosis → stroke.
- Artery: intima / media (smooth muscle) / adventitia.
The full note in the atlas also covers
Course · Branches · Histology · Development
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Written from
- Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 12, PDF pp. 1642–1643; ch. 2, PDF p. 129
- Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 15, PDF pp. 256–257
- BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 11, PDF pp. 197–199, 199
More from the head and neck
- Vestibulocochlear nerve
- Vitreous body
- Zygomatic bone
- Abducens nerve
- Accessory nerve
- Anterior cerebral artery
- Aqueous humour
- Arteries of the face
- Arytenoid cartilage
- Arytenoid muscles
- Cerebellum
- Cerebrum
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