Terminal branch of basilar aery is ?
**Core Concept**
The basilar artery is a critical vessel in the brain's circulation, arising from the fusion of the two vertebral arteries at the base of the brain. It plays a crucial role in supplying blood to the brainstem, cerebellum, and posterior parts of the circle of Willis.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The terminal branch of the basilar artery is the posterior cerebral artery (PCA), which arises from the basilar artery at the level of the lower pons. The PCA then ascends through the crura of the temporal lobe and enters the interpeduncular fossa, where it gives off several perforating branches that supply the midbrain, thalamus, and other adjacent structures. The PCA's terminal branches are the superior and inferior temporal arteries, which supply the temporal lobe.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** The anterior cerebral artery (ACA) is a terminal branch of the internal carotid artery, not the basilar artery.
**Option B:** The posterior communicating artery (PComm) is a branch of the internal carotid artery that anastomoses with the PCA, but it is not a terminal branch of the basilar artery.
**Option C:** The superior cerebellar artery (SCA) is a branch of the basilar artery, but it arises from the basilar artery before it terminates into the PCA.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
Remember that the PCA is responsible for supplying the occipital lobe and is often involved in the pathogenesis of visual field defects and occipital lobe seizures.
**Correct Answer:** C.