Which artery is a primary supplier of the occipital lobe?

• A. Anterior cerebral artery
• B. Middle cerebral artery
• C. Posterior cerebral artery
• D. Temporal artery

Answer: (C)

The occipital lobe is primarily supplied by the posterior cerebral arteries, which stem from the basilar artery in the posterior circulation. These arteries deliver blood to the visual cortex (the primary visual area, Brodmann area 17) and nearby occipital regions. If the posterior cerebral arteries are affected, you can see visual field deficits or cortical blindness, underscoring their role in the occipital lobe’s blood supply. The anterior cerebral artery mainly perfuses the medial frontal and parietal surfaces, not the occipital cortex, while the middle cerebral artery feeds the lateral aspects of the cerebral hemispheres, including many language and sensorimotor areas. The temporal artery is not a primary brain artery. So, the artery most responsible for the occipital lobe is the posterior cerebral artery.