The medulla
Medulla oblongata · medulla oblongata
The lowest part of the brainstem, where breathing, heartbeat and blood pressure are controlled.
What it does
The medulla oblongata joins the brain to the spinal cord at the base of the skull. Groups of nerve cells here set your breathing rhythm, adjust heart rate and blood pressure, and trigger reflexes such as coughing, sneezing, swallowing and vomiting.
Surprising fact
Most of the nerve fibres that carry commands from your brain to your muscles cross to the other side in the medulla, which is why the left brain controls the right side of the body.
Why it matters
Because it runs breathing and heartbeat, injury to the medulla is life-threatening, which is why alcohol or drug overdoses that suppress it can stop breathing.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.