What is the definition or description of: vertebral artery?

Artery to the brain: The vertebral arteries are blood vessel which deliver blood into the brain from the back of the neck. They arise from the sublclavian arteries which come off the aorta.

Vertebral artery: The vertebral arteries run up your neck towards your head. The actually run through small holes or foramina within the cervical verterbrae which both protect them but place them at risk with arthritis or cervical spine instability.

See below: A vertebral artery is a small artery that comes of of the aorta (the biggest vessel in the body that takes oxygenated blood away form the heart to deliver to the rest of the body) to give blood to the vertebrae. There are two arteries , one right and one left until the aorta splits. Since the aorta runs right next to the vertebral column, they are very short.