Brain: Medulla oblongata
Medulla oblongata labeled at bottom left
Section of the medulla oblongata at about the middle of the olive.
Latin	medulla oblongata
Gray's	subject #187 767
Part of	Brain stem
NeuroNames	hier-695
MeSH	Medulla+Oblongata
Dorlands/Elsevier	m_06/12519731

The medulla oblongata is the lower portion of the brainstem. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. This is a list of the subjects in Gray's Anatomy: IX Neurology The brain stem (or brainstem) is the lower part of the Brain, adjoining and structurally continuous with the Spinal cord. NeuroNames is a system of nomenclature for the human and/or macaque Brain. Medical Subject Headings ( MeSH) is a huge Controlled vocabulary (or metadata system for the purpose of indexing journal articles and books Elsevier, the world's largest Publisher of Medical and Scientific literature, forms part of the Reed Elsevier group The brain stem (or brainstem) is the lower part of the Brain, adjoining and structurally continuous with the Spinal cord. It deals with autonomic functions, such as breathing and blood pressure. &trade The autonomic nervous system ( ANS) (or visceral nervous system) is the part of the Peripheral nervous system that acts as a Control The cardiac center is the part of the medulla oblongata responsible for controlling the heart rate. Measuring heart rate The Pulse rate (which in most people is identical to the heart rate can be measured at any point on the body where an Artery 's pulsation

Contents 1 Location 2 Anatomy 2.1 Two parts: open and closed 2.2 Landmark fissures and sulci 2.3 Between the anterior median sulcus and the anterolateral sulcus 2.4 Between the anterolateral and posterolateral sulci 2.5 Between the posterior median sulcus and the posterolateral sulcus 2.6 Lower part 2.7 Base 3 Functions 4 Blood supply 5 Additional images 6 Popular Culture 7 External links

Location

By anatomical terms of location, it is rostral to the spinal cord and caudal to the pons, which is in turn ventral to the cerebellum. In fields of Anatomy, anatomical terms of location are descriptive terms to help identify relative positions or directions within a species The spinal cord is a long thin tubular bundle of Nerves that is an extension of the Central nervous system from the brain and is enclosed in and protected The pons (sometimes pons Varolii after Costanzo Varolio) is a structure located on the Brain stem. The cerebellum ( Latin: "little brain" is a region of the Brain that plays an important role in the integration of sensory perception

For a human or other bipedal species, this means it is above the spinal cord, below the pons, and anterior to the cerebellum. Bipedalism is a form of Terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs

Anatomy

Two parts: open and closed

The medulla is often thought of as being in two parts:

• an open part (close to the pons)
• a closed part (further down towards the spinal cord). The spinal cord is a long thin tubular bundle of Nerves that is an extension of the Central nervous system from the brain and is enclosed in and protected

The opening referred to is on the dorsal side of the medulla, and forms part of the fourth ventricle of the brain. The fourth ventricle is one of the four connected fluid-filled cavities within the human Brain.

Landmark fissures and sulci

The medulla has an anterior median fissure and a posterior median sulcus corresponding to the structures seen in the spinal cord. The anterior median fissure ( ventral or ventromedian fissure) contains a fold of Pia mater, and extends along the entire length of the Medulla oblongata The posterior median sulcus of medulla oblongata (or posterior median fissure or dorsal median sulcus) is a narrow groove and exists only in the closed part of the

On each side, the anterolateral sulcus lies in line with the ventral roots of the spinal nerves. The anterolateral sulcus (or ventrolateral sulcus) is a sulcus on the side of the Medulla oblongata. In Anatomy and Neurology, the ventral root (or anterior root) is the efferent motor root of a Spinal nerve. The term spinal nerve generally refers to the mixed spinal Nerve, which is formed from the dorsal and ventral roots that come out of the Spinal cord. The rootlets of cranial nerve XII (the hypoglossal nerve) emerge from this sulcus. Cranial nerves are Nerves that emerge directly from the Brain stem in contrast to Spinal nerves which emerge from segments of the Spinal cord. The hypoglossal nerve is the twelfth Cranial nerve (XII leading to the tongue

The posterolateral sulcus lies in line with the dorsal roots of the spinal nerves. The accessory Vagus, and Glossopharyngeal nerves correspond with the Posterior nerve roots, and are attached to the bottom of a Sulcus named the postero-lateral It gives attachment to the rootlets of the glossopharyngeal, vagus and the accessory nerve or the IX, X, and the XI cranial nerves from above downward in order. The glossopharyngeal nerve is the ninth of twelve pairs of Cranial nerves. The vagus nerve (ˈveɪˌgəs (VĀ-gəs (also called pneumogastric nerve or cranial nerve X) is the tenth of twelve paired Cranial nerves, and is the In Anatomy, the accessory nerve is a Nerve that controls specific Muscles of the neck Cranial nerves are Nerves that emerge directly from the Brain stem in contrast to Spinal nerves which emerge from segments of the Spinal cord.

Between the anterior median sulcus and the anterolateral sulcus

The region between the anterior median sulcus and the anterolateral sulcus is occupied by an elevation on either side called as the pyramid of medulla oblongata. The anterior or ventral portion of the Medulla oblongata is named the pyramid and lies between the Anterior median fissure and the Antero-lateral sulcus This elevation is caused by the corticospinal tract. The corticospinal or pyramidal tract is a massive collection of Axons that travel between the Cerebral cortex of the Brain and the Spinal

In the lower part of the medulla some of these fibers cross each other thus obliterating the anterior median fissure. This is known as the decussation of the pyramids. The two pyramids contain the Motor fibers that pass from the Brain to the Medulla oblongata and Medulla spinalis, Corticobulbar and

Some other fibers that originate from the anterior median fissure above the decussation of the pyramids and run laterally across the surface of the pons are known as the external arcuate fibers.

Between the anterolateral and posterolateral sulci

The region between the anterolateral and posterolateral sulci in the upper part of the medulla is marked by a swelling known as the Olivary body. In Anatomy, the olivary bodies or simply olives (Latin oliva and olivae, singular and plural respectively are a pair of prominent oval structures

It is caused by a large mass of gray matter known as the inferior olivary nucleus. The inferior olivary nucleus is the largest nucleus situated in the Olivary body, part of the Medulla oblongata.

Between the posterior median sulcus and the posterolateral sulcus

The posterior part of the medulla between the posterior median sulcus and the posterolateral sulcus contains tracts that enter it from the posterior funiculus of the spinal cord. These are the fasciculus gracilis, lying medially next to the midline, and the fasciculus cuneatus, lying laterally. The fasciculus gracilis ( tract of Goll) is a bundle of Axon fibres in the dorsomedial Spinal cord that carries information about fine touch vibrations The fasciculus cuneatus ( tract of Burdach, named for Karl Friedrich Burdach) is a bundle of nerves in the spinal cord which primarily transmits information from the

These fasciculi end in rounded elevations known as the gracile and the cuneate tubercles. They are caused by masses of gray matter known as the nucleus gracilis and the nucleus cuneatus. Located in the Medulla oblongata, the gracile nucleus is one of the Dorsal column nuclei that participates in the sensation of fine touch and Proprioception One of the Dorsal column nuclei, the cuneate nucleus is a wedge-shaped nucleus in the closed part of the Medulla oblongata.

Just above the tubercles, the posterior aspect of the medulla is occupied by a triangular fossa, which forms the lower part of the floor of the fourth ventricle. The fourth ventricle is one of the four connected fluid-filled cavities within the human Brain. The fossa is bounded on either side by the inferior cerebellar peduncle, which connects the medulla to the cerebellum. The upper part of the posterior district of the Medulla oblongata is occupied by the inferior peduncle, a thick rope-like strand situated between the lower part of the Fourth The cerebellum ( Latin: "little brain" is a region of the Brain that plays an important role in the integration of sensory perception

Lower part

The lower part of the medulla, immediately lateral to the fasciculus cuneatus, is marked by another longitudinal elevation known as the tuberculum cinereum. The tuber cinereum is a hollow eminence of gray matter situated between the Mammilary bodies and the Optic chiasm.

It is caused by an underlying collection of gray matter known as the spinal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve. The spinal trigeminal nucleus is a nucleus in the medulla that receives information about light Touch, pain, and Temperature from

The gray matter of this nucleus is covered by a layer of nerve fibers that form the spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve (the fifth Cranial nerve, also called the fifth nerve or simply V) is responsible for sensation in the face

Base

The base of the medulla is defined by the commissural fibers, crossing over from the ipsilateral side in the spinal cord to the contralateral side in the brain stem; below this is the spinal cord. The commissural fibers or transverse fibers connect the two hemispheres of the Brain.

Functions

The medulla oblongata controls autonomic functions, and relays nerve signals between the brain and spinal cord. &trade The autonomic nervous system ( ANS) (or visceral nervous system) is the part of the Peripheral nervous system that acts as a Control The brain is the center of the Nervous system in animals All Vertebrates and the majority of Invertebrates have a brain The spinal cord is a long thin tubular bundle of Nerves that is an extension of the Central nervous system from the brain and is enclosed in and protected It is also responsible for controlling several major points and autonomic functions of the body:

• respiration (via dorsal respiratory group and ventral respiratory group)
• blood pressure
• swallowing
• vomiting
• defecation

Blood supply

Blood to the medulla is supplied by a number of arteries. In Animal physiology, respiration is the transport of Oxygen from the outside air to the cells within tissues and the transport of Carbon dioxide The dorsal respiratory group ( DRG) is located in the dorsomedial region of the medulla, and is composed of cells in the Solitary tract nucleus. The ventral respiratory group ( VRG) is a column of neurons located in the ventrolateral region of the medulla, extending from the caudal facial nucleus to -400μm Blood pressure is also the title of a short story by Damon Runyan in Guys and Dolls and Other Stories Swallowing, known scientifically as deglutition is the process in the human or animal body that makes something pass from the Mouth, to the Pharynx, into Vomiting (also called throwing up, emesis) is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's Stomach through the Mouth and sometimes the Defecation is the final act of Digestion by which organisms eliminate solid semisolid or liquid Waste material ( Faeces) from the Digestive tract

• Anterior spinal artery: The anterior spinal artery supplies the whole medial part of the medulla oblongata. In Human anatomy, the anterior spinal artery is the Blood vessel that supplies the anterior portion of the Spinal cord. A blockage (such as in a stroke) will injure the pyramidal tract, medial lemniscus, and the hypoglossal nucleus. A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain The corticospinal or pyramidal tract is a massive collection of Axons that travel between the Cerebral cortex of the Brain and the Spinal The medial lemniscus, also known as Reil's band or Reil's ribbon, is a pathway in the Brainstem that carries sensory information from the gracile The hypoglossal nucleus is a Cranial nerve nucleus, and it extends the length of the Medulla, and being a motor nucleus is close to the midline This causes a syndrome called medial medullary syndrome. Medial medullary syndrome, also known as inferior alternating syndrome, hyploglossal alternating hemiplegia, or lower alternating hemiplegia, is a set of
• Posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA): The posterior inferior cerebellar artery, a major branch of the vertebral artery, supplies the posterolateral part of the medulla, where the main sensory tracts run and synapse. The posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA the largest branch of the vertebral, is one of the three main arterial Blood supplies for the Cerebellum Chemical synapses are specialized junctions through which Neurons signal to each other and to non-neuronal cells such as those in Muscles or Glands (As the name implies, it also supplies some of the cerebellum. The cerebellum ( Latin: "little brain" is a region of the Brain that plays an important role in the integration of sensory perception )
• Direct branches of the vertebral artery: The vertebral artery supplies an area between the other two main arteries, including the nucleus solitarius and other sensory nuclei and fibers. The vertebral arteries are branches of the subclavian arteries. The solitary nucleus and tract are structures in the Brainstem that carry and receive visceral sensation and Taste from the facial (VII Lateral medullary syndrome can be caused by occlusion of either the PICA or the vertebral arteries. Lateral medullary syndrome (also called Wallenberg 's syndrome and posterior inferior cerebellar artery syndrome) is a disease in which the patient has difficulty

Additional images

Lobes	Scheme showing the connections of the several parts of the brain.	Anteroinferior view of the medulla oblongata and pons. In fields of Anatomy, anatomical terms of location are descriptive terms to help identify relative positions or directions within a species	Section of the medulla oblongata through the lower part of the decussation of the pyramids
Section of the medulla oblongata at the level of the decussation of the pyramids. The two pyramids contain the Motor fibers that pass from the Brain to the Medulla oblongata and Medulla spinalis, Corticobulbar and	Transverse section of medulla oblongata below the middle of the olive.	The formatio reticularis of the medulla oblongata, shown by a transverse section passing through the middle of the olive.	Transverse section passing through the sensory decussation.
Mesal aspect of a brain sectioned in the median sagittal plane.	Base of brain.	Diagram showing the positions of the three principal subarachnoid cisternæ.	Human cerebrum lateral view
Human brain frontal (coronal) section

Popular Culture

• In the movie The Waterboy, when asked why alligators are so aggressive, Bobby Boucher responds "My mama says that alligators are ornery because they got all them teeth and no toothbrush. The Waterboy is a movie starring Adam Sandler, released in 1998 for differences between alligators and crocodiles please see Crocodilia An Alligator is a Crocodilian in the Genus Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9 1966 is an American Comedian, The toothbrush is an instrument consisting of a small Brush on a handle used to clean Teeth through Tooth brushing. " Science professor "Colonel Sanders" then informs him that aggressive behavior in alligators is caused by an enlarged Medulla Oblongata, and insults Boucher by saying that the waterboy's high aggression is also caused by an enlarged Oblongata. Harland David Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders ( September 9, 1890 &ndash December 16, 1980) was an American entrepreneur Boucher then angrily tackles Sanders.

• In the television series Futurama, in the episode "Parasites Lost", the worms leave Fry's body, after he threatens to sever the Medulla Oblongata, which would cause his death. Futurama is an Emmy Award -winning animated American sitcom created by Matt Groening, and developed by Groening and "Parasites Lost" is the second episode in season three of Futurama. The worms leave, but not until Fry had already done severe damage to his brain.

• In the television series Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius, in the episode "Time is Money", Sheen says his favorite part of a video about brains is the part about the Medulla Oblongata, even though he doesn't know what it is, he likes the way it sounds. James Isaac "Jimmy" Neutron (voiced by Debi Derryberry) is a fictional character in the TV series The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius

• In the movie Torment of the Wicked, the monster from the swamps eats a Medulla Oblongata off the head of Dr. Miles Poiinowski when he loses the challenge to cross the bridge to happy ville.

• In the video game SSX 3, if you play as Mac Fraser and make him crash into a tree or obstacle, he'll sometimes say "Ow, My Medulla Oblongata!"

• In Alicia Keys' song "Slow Down", from her album "As I Am", she sings "my medulla oblongata is electrified. SSX 3 is a Snowboarding video game published by Electronic Arts and developed by EA Sports BIG, which was released in late 2003. As I Am is the third Studio album (fourth overall by American R&B / soul singer Alicia Keys, released on November 13 2007 (see . . " at about 1:35.

• In Fight Club the narrator finds a series of articles written in the first person by organs, one of which begins "I am Jack's medulla oblongata without me Jack could not regulate his heart rate, blood pressure or breathing", which then inspires his "I am Jack's . Fight Club is a 1996 novel by Chuck Palahniuk, chronicling the experiences of an anonymous Protagonist who is struggling with a growing discomfort . . " monologues throughout the book.

• In a Mad TV skit starring character Coach Hines, he stated 'that's your medulla oblongata' to a student, as he held up a piece of a plant that he just ripped up that signified the students neck. MADtv, is an American Sketch comedy television series based on the humor magazine Mad.

• In the movie Van Wilder, Van introduces the Lambda Omega Omega fraternity to Sherry and Terry, who are "utterly infatuated with men who have larger than normal medulla oblongatas. National Lampoon's Van Wilder (also known as Van Wilder, Van The Man and Van Wilder Party Liaison) is "

• In the song We Takin' Over, a line in Lil Wayne's verse says "Touch it I will bust your medulla. " We Takin' Over " is the first single from DJ Khaled 's second album We the Best. "
• In the movie "Money Talks", starring Chris Tucker and Charlie Sheen, Tucker says to Sheen in a phone conversation, "Tell 'em to shoot you in the medulla oblongata, right behind the ear, you won't feel shit. "

External links

• BrainMaps at UCDavis medulla

BrainMaps is an NIH -funded interactive zoomable high-resolution digital brain atlas and virtual microscope that is based on more than 20 million megapixels (50 terabytes

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