The cortical branches of the middle cerebral artery in the otter (Lutra lutra)

Abstract

The cortical branches of the middle cerebral artery in the otter were described using 60 hemispheres. It was demonstrated that the artery is divided into ten permanent branches. Two rhinal arteries supply the region of the brain located on the border between the old and the archicortex and the neocortex. The other eight branches are divided into three branches running towards the frontal lobe, two branches – to the region of the parietal lobe and three temporal branches which supply blood to the neocortex only. The frontal, parietal and temporal branches descended independently from the main trunk of the middle cerebral artery or first formed a common trunk. Common trunks for specific groups of bifurcations were described as the middle cerebral artery (anterior, superior and posterior).