| The brainstem is the oldest part and central core of the brain. The brainstem begins where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull, forming the medulla. This is where the controls of your heartbeat and your breathing lie. Think of it as a basketball net- the brainstem is the support system and the brain is the backboard. The brainstem is also a crossover point, where nerves come and go to and from each side of the brain to connect with the bodies’ opposite side. Otherwise, inside the brainstem lies the reticular formation. It is a network of neurons that extends from the spinal cord all the way up to the thalamus (Myers 71). . |
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Julia, Dovgy, widener, medical scholar
