Blood Supply to the Brain in Goat (Capra hircus)

Abstract

The study was conducted on five adult goat heads based on the radiological observations followed by gross and sub-gross dissections. The blood supply to the brain of goat was carried by rete mirabile cerebrale which was formed by the three or four anterior meningeal arteries, two or three middle meningeal arteries, posterior meningeal artery and cerebro-spinal artery. The branches from middle part of the rete gave rose to a single trunk on either side, which emerged from the rete as emergent artery, which divided into cranial and caudal primary branches. The cranial primary branch gave origin to the middle cerebral artery and continued as cranial cerebral artery. The two cranial cerebral arteries communicated with each other by means of a small communicating branch. The caudal primary branch traversed backward gave rose to the caudal cerebral artery and cranial cerebellar artery. Then it continued inward and at the median line joined the corresponding branch of the opposite side to form the basilar artery. This union of cranial primary branches and caudal primary branches of opposite side formed a complete circle termed as "circle of Willis". The basilar artery supplied blood to pons and medulla oblongata and then continued as ventral spinal artery in the ventral median fissure of the spinal cord.