The medulla oblongata is located within the myelencephalon. The myelencephalon is a subdivision of the brain used to describe the area that gives way to development of the medulla oblongata. Often referred to simply as the medulla, the medulla oblongata is the lower half of the brainstem and along with the spinal cord contains many small nuclei involved in a wide …show more content…
Via cranial nerves it stimulates responses that are reflexive such as coughing, sneezing, vomiting, and salivating. Some sensory information is passed through this area of the brain from the cranial nerves and then relayed to higher structures of the brain like the thalamus. If this part of the brain does not function properly than the results could be fatal (Klein & Thorne, 2007). During fetal development in humans, divisions that give rise to the hindbrain occur at just 28 days post conception with more specific subdivisions (metencephalon, myelencephalon) taking shape at 7 weeks post conception. Final shape differentiation into the medulla oblongata can be observed at 20 weeks gestation (Carlson 2013). Because of its location at the brain stem, trauma to this area can be detrimental to survival of any kind. Research …show more content…
In this area the nerves cross sides, so if the right side of the medulla oblongata is injured then the symptoms will appear on the left side of the body (Newell, 2011). During surgery if using anesthesia the anesthesiologist keeps a close eye on the patient because anesthesia causes a reduction in function in the medulla oblongata. Without any type of mechanical life support such as the ventilator that could help the person breath even if the lungs aren’t functioning normally, the patient would clearly expire. Indeed, the Medulla Oblongata is one of the most important parts of our brain. It is crucial for blood pressure, breathing and other autonomic functions of the body, without which, the body person would be considered vegetative (Medulla Oblongata function, 2015). Lateral medullary syndrome, also called Wallenberg syndrome and posterior inferior cerebellar artery syndrome, is a disease that presents with a constellation of neurologic symptoms due to injury to the lateral part of the medulla in the brain, resulting in tissue ischemia and necrosis, typically from blood clot (stroke) impeding the vertebral artery and/or the posterior inferior