Biology · Coordination and Control

The medulla oblongata narrows down into an oval-shaped hollow cylinder, the spinal cord, running through the vertebral column. Thus spinal cord is continuous with the medulla oblongata. The medulla oblongata is the lowest part of the brainstem, located between the pons and the spinal cord, and controls essential automatic life functions such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and swallowing, while also serving as a pathway for nerve signals between the brain and the rest of the body. It houses cranial nerve nuclei for nerves IX, X, XI, and XII, which are involved in functions like taste, swallowing, and movement of the tongue and neck.  

The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and is divided into two halves, called cerebral hemispheres. These halves communicate with each other by means of a large band of axons, called the corpus callosum.

Medulla oblongata narrows down into an oval-shaped hollow cylinder, the spinal cord, running through the vertebral column. Thus, the spinal cord is continuous with the medulla oblongata.

The cerebellum is crucially important in coordinating the movement of the body. The cerebellum receives sensory information about the position of the joints and the length of the muscles, as well as information from the hemisphere. The cerebellum uses this information to provide automatic coordination of movement and balance.

Pons located above the medulla tend to influence transitions between sleep and wakefulness and between stages of sleep; other influences include the rate of pattern of breathing.