[Variability of the course of the anterior cerebral artery and its branches in humans]

The objective of the paper was to find out whether there is any connection between the course of the anterior cerebral artery and its branches depending on the sex and the side of the hemisphere. The investigation covered 102 brains, 47 females and 55 males. The average age was 59.7 and 55.5 years respectively. The organ was examined after having been injected with polymerizing resins with red lead as contrast medium. Radiological examinations were carried out in some selected cases. The anterior cerebral artery was prepared anatomically. The obtained results of measuring the vessels were subjected to statistical analysis. Sexual dimorfism was disclosed with regard to origin and the course of anterior cerebral artery. Larger number and diameter of branches were recorder in the left hemisphere. The greatest variation was displayed by the angles, at which the vessels were seen to branch off. Gross variation of the course of anterior cerebral artery made it impossible to differentiate the definite types of vascularization of the cerebral hemispheres. Hitherto undescribed variants of the branches of the anterior cerebral artery were observed.