The middle cerebral veins are the superficial middle cerebral vein and the deep middle cerebral vein. * The superficial middle cerebral vein (superficial Sylvian vein) begins on the lateral surface of the

hemisphere Hemisphere refers to: * A half of a sphere As half of the Earth * A hemisphere of Earth ** Northern Hemisphere ** Southern Hemisphere ** Eastern Hemisphere ** Western Hemisphere ** Land and water hemispheres * A half of the (geocentric) celes ...

, running along the

lateral sulcus In neuroanatomy, the lateral sulcus (also called Sylvian fissure, after Franciscus Sylvius, or lateral fissure) is one of the most prominent features of the human brain. The lateral sulcus is a deep fissure in each hemisphere that separates the ...

, and ends either in the

cavernous sinus The cavernous sinus within the human head is one of the dural venous sinuses creating a cavity called the lateral sellar compartment bordered by the temporal bone of the skull and the sphenoid bone, lateral to the sella turcica. Structure The cave ...

or the

sphenoparietal sinus The sphenoparietal sinus is a paired dural venous sinus situated along the posterior edge of the lesser wing of either sphenoid bone. It drains into the cavernous sinus. Anatomy A sphenoparietal sinus is situated under each lesser wing of the s ...

. * The deep middle cerebral vein (deep Sylvian vein) receives tributaries from the insula and neighboring

gyri In neuroanatomy, a gyrus (pl. gyri) is a ridge on the cerebral cortex. It is generally surrounded by one or more sulci (depressions or furrows; sg. ''sulcus''). Gyri and sulci create the folded appearance of the brain in humans and other ma ...

, and runs in the lower part of the

Connections

The superficial middle cerebral vein is connected: # with the

superior sagittal sinus The superior sagittal sinus (also known as the superior longitudinal sinus), within the human head, is an unpaired area along the attached margin of the falx cerebri. It allows blood to drain from the lateral aspects of anterior cerebral hemispher ...

by the

superior anastomotic vein The superior anastomotic vein, also known as the vein of Trolard, is a superficial cerebral vein grouped with the superior cerebral veins. The vein was eponymously named after the 18th century anatomist Jean Baptiste Paulin Trolard. The vein anas ...

(vein of Trolard) where the latter opens into one of the

superior cerebral veins The superior cerebral veins, numbering eight to twelve, drain the superior, lateral, and medial surfaces of the hemispheres. They are predominantly found in the sulci between the gyri In neuroanatomy, a gyrus (pl. gyri) is a ridge on the c ...

; # with the

transverse sinus The transverse sinuses (left and right lateral sinuses), within the human head, are two areas beneath the brain which allow blood to drain from the back of the head. They run laterally in a groove along the interior surface of the occipital bone. ...

by the

inferior anastomotic vein The inferior anastomotic vein, also known as the vein of Labbe, is one of several superficial cerebral veins on the human brain. It was named after the 19th century French surgeon Charles Labbé (1851–1889), the nephew of the surgeon and politi ...

(vein of Labbé) which courses over the

temporal lobe The temporal lobe is one of the four Lobes of the brain, major lobes of the cerebral cortex in the brain of mammals. The temporal lobe is located beneath the lateral fissure on both cerebral hemispheres of the mammalian brain. The temporal lobe ...

Additional images

File:Slide6Neo.JPG, Meninges and superficial cerebral veins. Deep dissection. Superior view. File: Gray724.png, Base of brain. (Lateral fissure visible at top left.)

References

Veins of the head and neck {{circulatory-stub