The Medulla Oblongata

The medulla oblongata is the most inferior of the brain regions It is directly superior to the spinal cord Its basic job is to relay information to the rest of the brain stem and the thalamus It also controls basic visceral activities

The Medulla Oblongata The medulla oblongata is a busy place It is the primary site where the spinal cord relays information to the brain It is a large task to coordinate movements and function between the brain and body

The Medulla Oblongata The medulla oblongata looks like an enlarged section of the spinal cord with a central canal However there is one main difference with the organization of the white and grey matter The arrangement of the white and grey matter is much more complex with more avenues

The Cranial Nerves There are 31 spinal nerves These relay information from the sections of the body The brain has a set of nerves that relay information directly into the brain These nerves are called the crainial nerves

The Cranial Nerves The cranial nerves are named with the letter “N” and a roman numeral The nerves are numbered NI through NXII NV through NXII attach to the medulla oblongata These nerves control a large number of functions within the body

The Cranial Nerves Cranial NerveFunctionAttachment Site NI NII NIII NIV NV NVI NVII NVIII NIX NX NXI NXII

Three Centers The medulla oblongata includes three groups of nuclei that will be encountered in later chapters 1) Autonomic Nuclei Controlling Visceral Activities The reticular formation is loosely organized cells that contain embedded nuclei This part of the medulla oblongata controls the vital autonomic functions and reflexes for those visceral functions

Three Centers 2) Sensory and Motor Nuclei of Cranial Nerves The medulla oblongata contains sensory and motor nuclei for five cranial nerves It coordinates functions between the back as well as the visceral organs

Three Centers 3) Relay Stations along Sensory and Motor Pathways The nucleus gracillis and the nucleus cuneatus pass somatic information to the thalamus Information is interpreted and relayed to higher functioning parts of the brain The olivary nuclei relay commands as they are issued by motor centers at higher levels of the brain through the medulla oblongata These are small nodules that resemble olives