Contents:
- Medical Video: Stroke, clogged arteries and atherosclerosis
- Symptoms of stroke can indicate which parts of the brain are affected
- What types of blood vessels can be affected by stroke?
- Carotid artery
- Vertebral artery
- Basilar artery
- Anterior cerebral artery
- Middle cerebral artery
- Posterior cerebral artery
- Posterior communicating artery
- Anterior communicating artery
- Ophthalmic artery
- Retinal arteries
- What is the need to know which blood vessels are affected?
Medical Video: Stroke, clogged arteries and atherosclerosis
Stroke is a decrease in blood supply to a part of the brain. Oxygen and nutrients move in the blood, so the reduced blood supply blocks oxygen and nutrients that the brain needs. This causes loss of function of the part of the brain supplied by certain blood vessels. Stroke appears as a group of symptoms caused by loss of function in the brain.
Symptoms of stroke can indicate which parts of the brain are affected
Parts of the brain affected by a stroke respond to certain blood vessels. If the blood vessels are blocked or damaged due to leakage or rupture, this causes slow blood supply or the cessation of blood supply. Blood vessels that supply the brain respond to these parts of the brain by following a clear pattern. Some parts of the brain can receive blood from more than one blood vessel, but usually one of the blood vessels is a supplier of most of the blood in certain parts of the brain.
What types of blood vessels can be affected by stroke?
The blood vessels of our brain, which may be affected by stroke, include:
Carotid artery
The carotid artery is located in front of the neck and provides most of the blood supply to the brain, especially the front of the brain. The carotid arteries are in the neck, so they are more accessible than the blood vessels in the brain itself. This allows doctors to evaluate the health of the carotid artery using equipment such as ultrasound to see if the carotid artery has narrowed or has a large amount of cholesterol buildup. Carotid arteries are also far more accessible for surgical repair than blood vessels located deep in the brain.
Vertebral artery
The vertebral artery is located at the back of the neck and supplies blood to the back of the brain. The vertebral artery provides blood to a relatively small part of the brain, the brain stem, but it is part of the brain, which controls life support functions such as breathing and regulating the heart.
Basilar artery
The basilar artery is a merger of the vertebral arteries and much deeper in the brain. It provides blood to the brain, which controls eye movements and life's defense functions.
Anterior cerebral artery
The left and right anterior cerebral arteries are branches of the left and right carotid arteries, respectively, and they give blood to the frontal part of the brain, which controls behavior and thought.
Middle cerebral artery
The middle cerebral artery is a branch of the left and right carotid arteries. The cerebral artery provides blood supply to the part of the brain that controls movement. There is one cerebral artery on the left side of the brain and one on the right side of the brain.
Posterior cerebral artery
The posterior cerebral artery is a branch of the basilar artery. The right posterior cerebral artery supplies blood to the far back of the right brain and the left posterior cerebral artery provides blood to the back of the left brain.
Posterior communicating artery
Posterior communicating artery allowing blood to flow between the right and left posterior cerebral arteries. This provides a protective effect. When one of the posterior cerebral arteries becomes slightly narrower, posterior communicating artery can compensate for minor constriction by providing blood from the other side, such as a tunnel or bridge.
Anterior communicating artery
Anterior communicating artery connecting between the right and left anterior cerebral arteries. These blood vessels, like posterior communicating artery, providing a pathway between the right and left anterior cerebral arteries, which offers a protective effect for mild narrowing on one side by allowing sharing of the blood supply from the other side.
Ophthalmic artery
The ophthalmic arteries supply blood to the eye and therefore provide essential nutrients for vision and eye movement.
Retinal arteries
The retinal artery is a small blood vessel that provides blood to a small but very important part of the eye called the retina.
What is the need to know which blood vessels are affected?
When a part of the brain lacks sufficient blood supply, a stroke can occur. The combination of symptoms will help the doctor determine the location of the stroke and also find out which blood vessels are affected. This can help with long-term and short-term treatment and recovery plans.
