| Internal carotid artery | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Arteries of the neck. The internal carotid arteries arise from the common carotid arteries - labeled Common caroti on the figure. | |
| Details | |
| Precursor | 3. Aortic arch |
| Source | Common carotid artery |
| Branches | Ophthalmic, anterior choroidal, anterior cerebral, middle cerebral and posterior communicating artery |
| Vein | Internal jugular vein |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | arteria carotis interna |
| MeSH | D002343 |
| TA98 | A12.2.06.001 |
| TA2 | 4463 |
| FMA | 3947 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
The internal carotid artery is an artery in the neck which supplies the anterior and middle cerebral circulation.[1]
In human anatomy, the internal and external carotid arise from the common carotid artery, where it bifurcates at cervical vertebrae C3 or C4. The internal carotid artery supplies the brain, including the eyes,[2] while the external carotid nourishes other portions of the head, such as the face, scalp, skull, and meninges.
- ^ "Carotid artery". WebMD. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
- ^ Kiel JW (2010). "The Ocular Circulation". Integrated Systems Physiology: From Molecule to Function to Disease. 3: 1–81. doi:10.4199/C00024ED1V01Y201012ISP012. PMID 21452447.
The arterial input to the eye is provided by several branches from the ophthalmic artery, which is derived from the internal carotid artery in most mammals.