Angiology of the brain of the baboon Papio ursinus, the vervet monkey Cercopithecus pygerithrus, and the bushbaby Galago senegalensis

Abstract

The investigation was undertaken to compare the blood supply and venous drainage of the brain of the baboon P. ursinus, the vervet monkey C. pygerithrus, and the bushbaby G. senegalensis with that of man, because these animals are extensively used as research models. The blood supply of the three primates was found to be similar in each case. Like man they have a complete circulus arteriosus; but they have a single anterior cerebral artery, whereas man has paired anterior cerebral arteries. The arterial supply to the cerebellum in the primates is similar to that in man, the main difference being a "common inferior cerebellar artery" which bifurcates to form the anterior inferior cerebellar and posterior inferior cerebellar arteries. In man, these arteries arise separately from the basilar artery and vertebral arteries, respectively. The dural venous drainage was also found to be similar in these primates but was far more extensive than in man. The primates have additional sinuses--the more important of these being the "basisphenoid sinus" and the petrosquamous sinus. The former drains the basilar sinus and is itself drained via the vertebral venous plexus and internal jugular vein. The latter drains via the petrosquamous foramen into the retromandibular vein. The petrosquamous sinus has a rostral extension which drains through the foramen ovale and two lateral and medial connecting sinuses which drain the cavernous and basilar sinuses, respectively. These sinuses are not found in man.

Morphology of the walls of the cavernous sinus of Cebus apella (tufted capuchin monkey)

“…Due to the almost plane conformation of the inner surface of the base of the skull, the medial wall of the sinus of Cebus apella only separates the cavernous sinus from the hypophysis and consists of a thick layer of connective tissue with no vessels or nerve fibers. In Papio ursinus, Cercopithecus pygerithrus, Galago senegalensis 12 and Macaca fascicularis 9 the medial wall has been described as a fold of the dura mater separating the hypophysis from the cavernous sinus.…”

A Modified Transorbital Baboon Model of Reperfused Stroke

“…9,10 Unfortunately, efforts to translate many of these pathophysiological findings to the clinical realm have failed, in part because of a growing realization of significant species-specific differences in responses to ischemic injury. [11][12][13][14] Nonhuman primate models offer distinct advantages when it comes to comparability with humans, 15 particularly when developing clinically useful strategies to improve patient outcome after stroke. Functional deficits in nonhuman primates can be easily assessed before animal euthanasia and represent clinically relevant outcome mea-…”

The basilar venous plexus

“…Note the major outflow in this specimen is via the inferior petrosal sinuses (middle arrow) and that a minor outflow is seen in the midline into the veins of the vertebral canal (lower arrow). The basilar plexus is found in other species such as the baboon (Lake et al, 1990). In fact, the basilar plexus is more extensive in many primates and coalesces into two paired sphenoidal sinuses that drain caudally into the basisphenoid sinus of these species (Lake et al, 1990).…”

“…The basilar plexus is found in other species such as the baboon (Lake et al, 1990). In fact, the basilar plexus is more extensive in many primates and coalesces into two paired sphenoidal sinuses that drain caudally into the basisphenoid sinus of these species (Lake et al, 1990). Studies involving the inferior petrosal sinuses have depicted these sinuses as not communicating with the basilar plexus (Shiu et al, 1968).…”