Artery of Percheron

Artery of Percheron is a rare anatomical variant of the brain's blood supply, specifically the thalamus. It is a solitary arterial trunk that arises from one of the posterior cerebral arteries, typically the right one, and supplies both paramedian thalami and the rostral midbrain.

Anatomy

The Artery of Percheron is a variant of the normal vascular supply to the thalamus. It is a solitary arterial trunk that arises from one of the posterior cerebral arteries, typically the right one, and supplies both paramedian thalami and the rostral midbrain. This artery is present in approximately 12% of the population.

Clinical significance

The occlusion of the artery of Percheron leads to a unique syndrome known as Percheron infarction, characterized by bilateral thalamic and mesencephalic infarcts. Symptoms of this condition can include altered mental status, memory impairment, vertical gaze palsy, and other neurological deficits. Diagnosis is typically made through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

History

The artery of Percheron was first described by the French neurologist Gérard Percheron in the 1970s. He identified this unique vascular variant during his studies of the thalamic vascularization.

See also

• Thalamus
• Posterior cerebral artery
• Percheron infarction