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Circle of Willis

Try also: Arteries; Arteriography; and Blood

Research Notes on Circle of Willis


The circle of Willis is found on the inferior surface at the base of the brain.1 Two of the main arteries, the carotid and vertebrobasilar arteries form this circle with other smaller arteries. If for any reason the main arteries are unable to perform their jobs correctly. The smaller arteries fill in to ensure there is always correct blood flow to the brain.2

Fast Facts:

  • Only 1/3 of all people have a complete circle of Willis.1
  • A complete circle of Willis helps ensures blood flow to the brain, and helps prevent stroke.1
  • Although they supply blood, the basilar artery and middle cerebral arteries, are not part of the circle of Willis.3
  • It is named after the English physician Thomas Willis.3

Top Resources on Circle of Willis

Research Notes References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 MedicineNet: Definition Of Circle of Willis
  2. Internet Stroke Center At Washington University: What Is The Circle of Willis
  3. 3.0 3.1 Wikipedia: Circle of Willis Overview

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About this WisdomCard

  • Contributor: M. Munoz
  • Reviewer: Tara
  • Supervised by: The OrganizedWisdom Physician Review Team
  • Redirects:Arterial Circle of Willis, What Is The Circle of Willis, Where Is The Circle of Willis, Location Of Circle of Willis, Circle of Willis Definition, Circle of Willis Uses, Uses Of The Circle of Willis, What Does The Circle of Willis Do, Function Of The Circle of Willis, Circle of Willis Function, News About The Circle of Willis, Circle of Willis News, Articles About The Circle of Willis, Circle of Willis Articles, Cerebral Arterial Circle
  • Last update: Oct. 6, 2008

Each WisdomCard is handcrafted by our team of physician-guided health advocates. Our goal is to make it easy for you to find the most useful health resources for any health topic by filtering out spam and bad links.