Corpus: Anterolateral central arteries

The anterolateral central arteries are a group of small arteries that arise from the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery shortly after it branches off from the internal carotid artery.

2.1. Classification

The anterolateral central arteries are sometimes further subdivided into:^[1]

• Medial group: parts of the anterolateral central arteries that arise from the more proximal areas of the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery
• Lateral group: parts of the anterolateral central arteries that arise from the more distal areas of the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery

2.2. Supply area

The anterolateral central arteries supply the basal ganglia, including the lentiform nucleus and caudate nucleus, as well as the middle part of the internal capsule and small parts of the thalamus.

Occlusion of a single anterolateral central artery leads to a lenticulostriatal infarction. This form of lacunar infarction usually occurs on the basis of lipohyalinosis of the vessels due to arterial hypertension.

If several anterolateral central arteries are affected, it is referred to as a striatocapsular infarction.