Sickled red blood cells can also get stuck in the cerebral vasculature, causing strokes and Moya-moya disease - which is named for " puff-of-smoke" -like collateral vessels that bypass blocked arteries.

镰状红细胞也会嵌顿在脑脉管系统中，造成中风与脑底异常血管网症（Moya-moya病/烟雾病）；该病以代偿阻塞动脉而形成的“烟雾状”侧枝循环命名。