Circle of willis
. The circle of Willis is a ring of arteries at the base of the brain that helps to supply blood to the brain. It is named after Thomas Willis, an English physician who described it in 1664. [Image of Circle of willis medical diagram] The circle of Willis is formed by four arteries: Image Source Wikipedia * The anterior cerebral arteries (ACAs) * The posterior cerebral arteries (PCAs) * The internal carotid arteries (ICAs) * The communicating arteries The ACAs and PCAs supply blood to the front and back of the brain, respectively. The ICAs supply blood to the middle of the brain. The communicating arteries connect the ACAs, PCAs, and ICAs, forming a ring of blood vessels that helps to ensure that the brain is always well-supplied with blood. The circle of Willis is an important structure because it provides a backup system for blood supply to the brain. If one of the arteries in the circle of Willis becomes blocked, the other arteries can help to compensate and