====== Middle cerebral artery pathology ======

The [[middle cerebral artery]] is the [[artery]] most often occluded in [[stroke]].

Anatomical variations of the [[middle cerebral artery]] (MCA) are an important clinical issue, due to high [[prevalence]] of [[intracranial aneurysm]]s. Anatomical variations of [[vessel]]s can lead to higher [[wall shear stress]], which is thought to be the main factor leading to [[aneurysm]] formation and consequently to higher prevalence of aneurysms. 

The most common configuration of MCA is bifurcation before the genu with no dominating post-division trunk. Incidence of MCA aneurysms is not correlated with anatomical variations of MCA and the [[circle of Willis]]
((Brzegowy P, Polak J, Wnuk J, Łasocha B, Walocha J, Popiela TJ. Middle cerebral
artery anatomical variations and aneurysms - retrospective study based on
computed tomography angiography findings. Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2017 Dec 13.
doi: 10.5603/FM.a2017.0112. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 29235088.
)).

===== Middle cerebral artery occlusion =====

see [[Middle cerebral artery occlusion]].

===== Middle cerebral artery aneurysm =====

see [[Middle cerebral artery aneurysm]].