Figure 1.

Main vascular supply to the ventral brainstem and hypothesis. (A) The anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is a main branch of the basilar artery (BAS). The BAS and AICA branch further to form the vascular beds that supply the brainstem. Neurons in the cochlear nucleus (CN, drawn in blue) connect synaptically with neurons in the contralateral medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB, enclosed in green squares). Little is known about the development of the MNTB vasculature. (B) It is hypothesized that the vasculature of the MNTB matures during the postnatal period before the onset of hearing.