Cerebral circulation

With cerebral circulation, cerebral stands for "brain," and circulation, refers to “blood flow.”

So, cerebral circulation is the movement of blood through the vessels that supply the brain and surrounding structures.

Our brain is responsible for complex functions such as thinking, feeling, memory, movement, vision, and speech.

Therefore, some of the devastating effects of oxygen deprivation to the brain include strokes, seizures, coma, and even death.

As a result, the brain requires a very efficient cerebral circulation to provide oxygen and nutrients, and remove carbon dioxide and wastes.

Now, like any other organ in the body, the blood supply to the brain, originates from the aorta.

Arising from the heart’s left ventricle, it goes on to form the aortic arch. Here, the brachiocephalic artery, originates first.

This branch gives off the right subclavian artery and the right common carotid artery.

Then a bit further along the aortic arch, the left common carotid artery arises, followed by the left subclavian artery.

The subclavian arteries give off right and left vertebral arteries, which ascend through the intervertebral feramina up to the brain.

Because the consequences of hypoxia to the brain are so devastating, the brain is safeguarded by having a dual circulation, an anterior circulation, originating from the carotids, and a posterior circulation, originating from the vertebral arteries.

The two circulations eventually meet up, creating what’s known as the circle of Willis.