The vertebral arteries
Vertebral and basilar arteries · arteria vertebralis
Arteries that climb through your neck bones to supply the back of the brain.
What it does
Each vertebral artery branches from a subclavian artery, climbs through holes in the neck vertebrae and enters the skull. There the two join to form the basilar artery, which supplies the brainstem, cerebellum and the back of the brain.
Surprising fact
Because they snake through the neck bones, these arteries can be stretched by extreme or sudden neck movements.
Why it matters
Damage to them is rare but serious, which is why sudden severe neck pain with dizziness or trouble speaking needs urgent medical attention.
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.