Which artery is responsible for supplying oxygenated blood to the brain?

The internal carotid artery is crucial for supplying oxygenated blood to the brain. This major artery branches off from the common carotid artery and divides into two key branches, the anterior and middle cerebral arteries, which are responsible for delivering blood to large portions of the cerebral hemispheres. The brain has a high demand for oxygen and glucose, and the internal carotid artery is one of the primary sources that meet these metabolic needs.

In contrast, the coronary artery supplies blood to the heart muscle itself and is not involved in cerebral circulation. The vertebral artery, while also supplying blood to parts of the brain, primarily feeds the posterior circulation, including areas like the brainstem and cerebellum, but does not supply as much of the cerebral cortex as the internal carotid artery does. The pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation, thus it plays no role in supplying oxygenated blood to the brain.