Rostral cerebral artery

The rostral cerebral artery is a paired artery of the brain that contributes to the cerebral arterial circle and supplies mainly the rostral and medial regions of the cerebral hemispheres.

• Origin: Intracranial part of the internal carotid artery, at the rostral part of the cerebral arterial circle.

• Course / Relations: The rostral cerebral artery courses rostrally at the base of the brain, close to the optic chiasm. It then turns dorsally into the longitudinal cerebral fissure, passes around the rostral aspect of the genu of the corpus callosum and continues caudally along the corpus callosum.

• Termination / Branches / Anastomoses: It gives rise to the internal ethmoidal artery and cortical branches supplying the rostral and medial parts of the cerebral hemisphere. The right and left rostral cerebral arteries may be connected by the rostral communicating artery, which is inconstant in carnivores. Its distal branches anastomose with branches of the middle and caudal cerebral arteries.

The rostral cerebral artery arises from the intracranial arterial circulation at the rostral part of the cerebral arterial circle. It courses near the optic chiasm before entering the longitudinal cerebral fissure between the cerebral hemispheres. It then passes around the genu of the corpus callosum and continues caudally along its dorsal surface, supplying the rostral cerebral cortex and the medial surface of the cerebral hemisphere. Along its course, it gives rise to the internal ethmoidal artery and several cortical branches and communicates with the arterial territories of the opposite rostral cerebral artery and other cerebral arteries.