What is medulla oblongata ?
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Answer:
it is the smallest part of the brain it is responsible for the well function of the spinal cord.
Answer:
The medulla oblongata (medulla) is one of the three regions that make up the brainstem. It is the most inferior of the three and is continuous above with the pons and below with the spinal cord. The medulla houses essential ascending and descending nerve tracts as well as brainstem nuclei
The medulla oblongata (medulla) is one of the three regions that make up the brainstem. It is the most inferior of the three and is continuous above with the pons and below with the spinal cord. The medulla houses essential ascending and descending nerve tracts as well as brainstem nuclei.
In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the medulla – its external features, internal anatomy, and blood supply.
External Anatomy of the Medulla
The medulla is conical in shape, decreasing in width as it extends inferiorly. It is approximately 3cm long and 2cm wide at its largest point.
The superior margin of the medulla is located at the junction between the medulla and pons, while the inferior margin is marked by the origin of the first pair of cervical spinal nerves. This occurs just as the medulla exits the skull through the foramen magnum.
Anterior Surface
There are several structures visible on the anterior surface of the medulla – namely the three fissures/sulci, the pyramids, the olives, and five cranial nerves.
In the midline of the medulla is the anterior median fissure, which is continuous along the length of the spinal cord. However, it is interrupted temporarily by the decussation of the pyramids (see below). As we move away from the midline, two sulci are visible – the ventrolateral sulcus and the posterolateral sulcus.
The pyramids are paired swellings found between the anterior median fissure and the ventrolateral sulcus. Information on the pyramids can be found here. The olives are another pair of swellings located laterally to the pyramids – between the ventrolateral and posterolateral sulci.