Which artery supplies blood to the surfaces of the brain including lateral frontal/parietal lobes and medial surfaces, with executive function deficits when occluded?

• A. Anterior Cerebral Artery
• B. Middle Cerebral Artery
• C. Posterior Cerebral Artery
• D. Superior Cerebellar Artery

Answer: (A)

Executive function relies on medial frontal regions of the brain. The anterior cerebral artery supplies the medial surfaces of the frontal and parietal lobes, including areas involved in planning, decision-making, and behavioral regulation. When this artery is occluded, you see executive function deficits because those medial frontal circuits are impaired, often with contralateral leg weakness reflecting the medial leg area of the motor homunculus. The lateral aspects of the frontal and parietal lobes—the areas more tied to language and other functions—are mainly fed by the middle cerebral artery, so its occlusion tends to produce language or neglect symptoms rather than pure executive dysfunction. The posterior cerebral artery serves the occipital and inferomedial temporal regions, leading to visual or memory problems, while the superior cerebellar artery affects the cerebellum, causing ataxia rather than cortical executive signs. Therefore, the artery that best explains executive deficits from occlusion is the anterior cerebral artery.