Justin K. answered • 05/05/19
Medical student who is happy to teach any age!
The Circle of Willis is the juncture of the large blood vessels within the brain. The bilateral internal carotid arteries climb superior through the neck, into the base of the skull, and branch to form the middle aspect of the circle. An anterior branch travels along the midline, supplying deeper brain structures out to the cerebral cortex. A posterior branch gives off the posterior cerebral artery which supplies the visual cortex and occipital lobe. These posterior branches meet to form the basilar artery, which travels inferior to split into the vertebral arteries. The internal carotid artery continues on to form the middle cerebral arteries, which supply superficial aspects of the brain.
