Brain stem
Brain stem
The Brain stem (pronounced: /breɪn stɛm/) is a critical part of the human brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord. It consists of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.
Etymology
The term "Brain stem" is derived from the English words "brain" and "stem". The word "brain" comes from the Old English 'brægen', which means 'brain'. The word "stem" comes from the Old English 'stefn', 'stæf', which means 'stem', 'stock', 'tree trunk', 'pillar'.
Function
The brain stem controls the flow of messages between the brain and the rest of the body, and it also controls basic body functions such as breathing, swallowing, heart rate, blood pressure, consciousness, and sleep.
Structure
The brain stem includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.
- The midbrain is the most superior component of the brain stem and is responsible for motor movement, particularly movements of the eye, and auditory and visual processing.
- The pons is the part of the brain stem that links the medulla oblongata and the thalamus. It serves as a message station between several areas of the brain. It helps relay messages from the cortex and the cerebellum.
- The medulla oblongata is the lower half of the brain stem. It controls the heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and digestion.
Related terms
- Cerebellum: A region of the brain that plays an important role in motor control. It may also be involved in some cognitive functions such as attention and language.
- Thalamus: A large mass of gray matter in the dorsal part of the diencephalon of the brain with several functions such as relaying of sensory signals, including motor signals to the cerebral cortex, and the regulation of consciousness, sleep, and alertness.
- Cerebral cortex: The outer layer of the cerebrum, composed of folded gray matter, playing a key role in memory, attention, perception, cognition, awareness, thought, language, and consciousness.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Brain stem
- Wikipedia's article - Brain stem
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