Superior cerebellar artery
Artery of the head
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Through Artery
Structure
The superior cerebellar artery arises near the end of the basilar artery. It passes laterally around the brainstem. This is immediately below the oculomotor nerve, which separates it from the posterior cerebral artery. It then winds around the cerebral peduncle, close to the trochlear nerve. It also lies close to the cerebellar tentorium. When it arrives at the upper surface of the cerebellum, it divides into branches which ramify in the pia mater and anastomose with those of the anterior inferior cerebellar arteries and the posterior inferior cerebellar arteries.
Several branches are given to the pineal body, the anterior medullary velum, and the tela chorioidea of the third ventricle.
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Function
The superior cerebellar artery supplies deep parts and superior parts of the cerebellum. It supplies parts of the midbrain (tectum, including the cerebral crus). It also supplies superior medullary velum, the superior cerebellar peduncle, the middle cerebellar peduncle, and the interpeduncular region.
Clinical significance
Trigeminal neuralgia
The superior cerebellar artery frequently causes trigeminal neuralgia by compressing the trigeminal nerve (CN V) causing facial pain (the distribution of the nerve). Vascular microsurgery may be able to decompress the trigeminal nerve. At autopsy, 50% of people without trigeminal neuralgia will also be noted to have vascular compression of the nerve.
Stroke
An infarction of the superior cerebellar artery can cause a cerebellar stroke. This can cause a headache and ataxia (with problems walking).