brain stem
Cord meets skull
The brain stem is the stalk-like lower portion of the brain that connects to the spinal cord.
It controls basic life functions—breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, swallowing, sleep cycles—that operate without conscious thought.
The brain stem comprises the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.
The accident damaged his brain stem.
Innermost organ tissue
- ponsBrainstem relay station
- cranial nervesTwelve brainstem-emerging neural pairs
- spinal cordBrain's extension through vertebrae
- neural pathwaySignal route between neurons
meninges · medulla oblongata · fourth ventricle · central nervous system · intracranial · encephalon
Gas exchange in organisms
- heartbeatRhythmic cardiac contraction
- swallowingIngesting via throat muscles
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
- arousalStirring to heightened state
sleep-wake cycle · blood pressure · reflexes · vomiting · coughing · sneezing · digestion · pupil dilation
In earliest form
- survivalRemaining alive against odds
- instinctInnate behavioral tendency
- reflexInvoluntary stimulus response
- reptilianOf snakes and lizards
ancestral · primordial · fundamental · innate · autonomic · involuntary · ancient · fight-or-flight
Sudden brain blood blockage
- tumorAbnormal tissue mass
- lesionArea of pathological change
- hemorrhageProfuse discharge of blood
- comaUnwakeable unconsciousness
locked-in syndrome · encephalitis · glioma · herniation · multiple sclerosis · compression · trauma · aneurysm
Signal-transmitting brain cells
- synapsesNeuron-to-neuron transmission points
- neurotransmittersChemical neural messengers
- axonNeuron's signal-sending projection
- dendriteNeuron's input branch
myelin · glia · neurophysiology · electrophysiology · neural · brainwave · cerebrospinal · neuroplasticity
medulla
Innermost organ tissue
- ponsBrainstem relay station
- cranial nervesTwelve brainstem-emerging neural pairs
- spinal cordBrain's extension through vertebrae
neural pathway · meninges · medulla oblongata · fourth ventricle · central nervous system · intracranial · encephalon
respiration
Gas exchange in organisms
- heartbeatRhythmic cardiac contraction
- swallowingIngesting via throat muscles
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
arousal · sleep-wake cycle · blood pressure · reflexes · vomiting · coughing · sneezing · digestion · pupil dilation · eye movement
primitive
In earliest form
- survivalRemaining alive against odds
- instinctInnate behavioral tendency
- reflexInvoluntary stimulus response
reptilian · ancestral · primordial · fundamental · innate · autonomic · involuntary · ancient · fight-or-flight · homeostasis
stroke
Sudden brain blood blockage
- tumorAbnormal tissue mass
- lesionArea of pathological change
- hemorrhageProfuse discharge of blood
coma · locked-in syndrome · encephalitis · glioma · herniation · multiple sclerosis · compression · trauma · aneurysm · ischemia
neurons
Signal-transmitting brain cells
- synapsesNeuron-to-neuron transmission points
- neurotransmittersChemical neural messengers
- axonNeuron's signal-sending projection
dendrite · myelin · glia · neurophysiology · electrophysiology · neural · brainwave · cerebrospinal · neuroplasticity · action potential
- brain scienceneurons, synapses, neuron, cortex, neuropsychology
- brain regionsfrontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, hippocampus
- brainstemmedulla, medulla oblongata, pons, fourth ventricle, aqueduct of Sylvius
- body partsarm, leg, hand, back, chest
- braincortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, thalamus, frontal lobe
- brain anatomycortex, neurons, frontal lobe, hypothalamus, thalamus
brain stemcerebral cortex
Brain's outer neural sheet
neocortex · prefrontal cortex · frontal lobe · cerebrum · forebrain