Brain Tidbit II: Brainstem

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Brain Tidbit II Brainstem

• Medulla oblongata
• Pons
• Mesencephalon (midbrain)

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What is brainstem?

• Interior inferior core of brain
• Includes all parts of brain except
• Cerebral hemispheres
• Cerebellum
• Diencephalon
• (remember 2-oval skull)
• Think direct autonomic control

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Medulla oblongata(relay from the spinal cord)

• What is it?
• Extension of spinal cord into cranial cavity
• All motor and sensory information to and from
  peripheral nerves via spinal cord passes through
• Central canal of spinal cord opens into fourth
  ventricle

• What it does?
• Autonomic nuclei control visceral activity
• Cardio-vascular heart rate, strength of heart
  contractions, vasomotor (blood vessel opening)
• Respiratory rhythmicity center
• Nuclei for Cranial Nerves VIII-XII
• Relay for sensory and motor information to other
  brain regions

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Pons (relay from lower to higher functions)

• Links higher to lower brain region
• Nuclei for Cranial Nerves V-VIII
• Nuclei that control respiration
• Part of metencephalon

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Midbrain/Mesencephalon(integration of
information for reflexive movements)

• Superior to pons
• Deep within brain
• Superior and inferior colliculiinitiate
  reflexive responses to visual and auditory input
• Substantia nigra and red nuclei (basal
  ganglia)background skeletal muscle tone
• Nuclei for Cranial Nerves III, IV

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• Interactive overview of basic regions of brain
  from PBS
• link