Basilar artery

Looks like

A single artery formed by the two vertebral arteries joining, running up the front of the brainstem.

What it does

Supplies the brainstem and cerebellum, and ends by splitting into the two posterior cerebral arteries.

Keeping it well

Its blockage is a rare but life-threatening stroke: double vision, slurred speech, drowsiness or weakness of both sides — call an ambulance.

Its parts

• Anterior inferior cerebellar artery
• Right pontine artery
• Left pontine artery
• Right superior cerebellar artery
• Left superior cerebellar artery
• Right posterior cerebral artery
• Left posterior cerebral artery
• Postcommunicating part of posterior cerebral artery
• Posteromedial central branch of posterior cerebral artery
• Lateral branch of superior cerebellar artery
• Medial branch of superior cerebellar artery
• Superior vermian branch of medial branch of superior cerebellar artery

Related conditions

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hypothermia & frostbite
• Kawasaki disease
• Metabolic syndrome
• Orthostatic hypotension & POTS
• Peripheral artery disease
• Phaeochromocytoma & hyperaldosteronism
• Pre-eclampsia
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• Sepsis
• Shock (circulatory failure)
• Vasculitis (GCA & others)