ABSTRACT
The anatomy of the arterial and nerve supply in rats is essentially similar to that of humans. The cerebral portion of the internal carotid artery branches into several arteries, similar to those in the human but with slight differences: the posterior communicating artery, hypothalamic artery, anterior choroid artery, middle cerebral artery, and anterior cerebral artery. The posterior cerebral artery is a branch of the posterior communicating artery. The various channels that constitute collateral circulation in humans provide a margin of safety, so that in case of cerebral occlusion due to thrombosis, atherosclerosis, or vasospasm related to hemorrhage, blood supply to the affected area can be maintained through these collaterals. Collateral circulation is also present in rats. The distributions of nerves and nerve-related sensors in rats are similar to those in the human. The blood supply of the rat thalamus and basal ganglia is also similar to that in human.
