Brainstem
The brainstem is the most caudal part of the brain. It adjoins, is structurally continuous with the spinal cord and consists of the:
- midbrain (mesencephalon)
- pons (part of the metencephalon)
- medulla oblongata (myelencephalon)
The brainstem provides the main motor and sensory innervation to the face and neck via the cranial nerves. It also provides the connection of the cerebrum, basal ganglia, diencephalon, cerebellum and spinal cord. Additionally, there are other other brainstem nuclei.
The brainstem also plays an important role in the regulation of cardiac and respiratory function. It also regulates the central nervous system, and is pivotal in maintaining consciousness and regulating the sleep cycle.
Some taxonomies describe the brainstem as only containing the medulla oblongata and pons, whereas others include the midbrain.
Related articles
Neuroanatomy
- brain
-
cerebrum
-
cerebral hemisphere (telencephalon)
- cerebral lobes and gyri
- cerebral sulci and fissures (A-Z)
- calcarine fissure
- callosal sulcus
- central (Rolandic) sulcus
- cingulate sulcus
- collateral sulcus
- inferior frontal sulcus
- inferior temporal sulcus
- interhemispheric fissure
- lateral (Sylvian) sulcus
- marginal sulcus
- occipitotemporal sulcus
- olfactory sulcus
- parieto-occipital fissure
- posterior parolfactory sulcus
- precentral sulcus
- rhinal sulcus
- superior frontal sulcus
- superior temporal sulcus
- cortical histology
- white matter tracts
- deep grey matter
-
pituitary gland
- posterior pituitary and stalk (part of diencephalon)
- anterior pituitary
- pituitary gland blood supply
- embryology
- diencephalon
-
cerebral hemisphere (telencephalon)
-
brainstem
- midbrain (mesencephalon)
- pons (part of metencephalon)
- medulla oblongata (myelencephalon)
- white matter
- grey matter (non-cranial nerve)
-
cerebellum (part of metencephalon)
- vermis
- cerebellar hemisphere
- cerebellar peduncles
- cerebral meninges (meninx primitiva)
- CSF spaces
-
cranial nerves (mnemonic)
- olfactory nerve (CN I)
- optic nerve (CN II)
- oculomotor nerve (CN III)
- trochlear nerve (CN IV)
- trigeminal nerve (CN V) (mnemonic)
- abducens nerve (CN VI)
- facial nerve (CN VII) (segments mnemonic | branches mnemonic)
- vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
- glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
- vagus nerve (CN X)
- spinal accessory nerve (CN XI)
- hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
- functional neuroanatomy
- brain development
- cerebral vascular supply
- arteries
-
circle of Willis
- internal carotid artery (ICA)
- vertebral artery
-
normal variants
- intracranial arterial fenestration
- internal carotid artery (ICA)
- anterior cerebral artery (ACA)
- middle cerebral artery (MCA)
- posterior cerebral artery (PCA)
- basilar artery
- persistent carotid-vertebrobasilar artery anastomoses
-
circle of Willis
-
cerebral venous system
- dural venous sinuses
-
cerebral veins
-
superficial veins of the brain
- superior cerebral veins (superficial cerebral veins)
- inferior cerebral veins
- superficial middle cerebral vein
- superior anastomotic vein (of Trolard)
- inferior anastomotic vein (of Labbe)
- deep veins of the brain
-
superficial veins of the brain
- normal variants
- arteries
- glymphatic pathway
-
cerebrum
-
spinal cord
- gross anatomy
- white matter tracts
- anterolateral columns
- lateral columns
-
dorsal columns
- fasiculus gracilis
- fasiculus cuneatus (column of Burdach)
- gray matter
- nerve root
- spinal meninges and spaces
- functional anatomy
- spinal cord blood supply
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