medulla oblongata

medulla /me·dul·la/ (mĕ-dul´ah) pl. medul´lae   [L.] the innermost part; marrow.

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adrenal medulla , medulla of adrenal gland the inner, reddish brown, soft part of the adrenal gland; it synthesizes, stores, and releases catecholamines.

medulla of bone  bone marrow.

medulla oblonga´ta  that part of the brainstem continuous with the pons above and the spinal cord below.

medulla os´sium  bone marrow.

renal medulla  the inner part of the kidney substance, composed chiefly of collecting elements, Henle's loops, and vasa recta, organized grossly into pyramids.

spinal medulla , medulla spina´lis spinal cord.

medulla of thymus  the central portion of each lobule of the thymus; it contains many more reticular cells and far fewer lymphocytes than does the surrounding cortex.

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medulla ob·lon·ga·ta (blng-gt, -gät)

n. pl. medulla ob·lon·ga·tas or medullae ob·lon·ga·tae (-gt, -gät)

The lowermost portion of the vertebrate brain, continuous with the spinal cord and responsible for the control of respiration, circulation, and other bodily functions.

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Medulla oblongata

The lowest section of the brainstem, located next to the spinal cord. The medulla is the site of important cardiac and respiratory regulatory centers.

Mentioned in: Anesthesia, General

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medulla oblongata,

a bulbous continuation of the spinal cord just above the foramen magnum and separated from the pons by a horizontal groove. It is one of three parts of the brainstem and mainly contains white substance with some mixture of gray substance. The medulla contains the cardiac, vasomotor, and respiratory centers of the brain. Medullary injury or disease often proves fatal. Compare mesencephalon, pons. Also called (informal) medulla.

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medulla oblongata (mdul´ oblôngä´t),

n the direct upward extension of the spinal cord that lies at the junction between the cerebrum and the spinal cord and is considered to be in a group with the pons and midbrain because the nuclei of all the cranial nerves except one are situated within this structural group. Its functions are associated with the nuclei of the glossopharyngeal, vagal, spinal accessory, and hypoglossal nerves. It controls the reflex actions of the pharynx, larynx, and tongue, which are related to deglutition, mastication, and speech, as well as the visceral reflexes of coughing, sneezing, sucking, vomiting, and salivating, and other secretory functions.

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medulla

pl. medullae [L.] the central or inner portion of an organ.

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adrenal medulla

the inner portion of the adrenal gland, where epinephrine is produced.

medulla of bone

bone marrow, contained in the medullary canal of bone.

medulla oblongata

that part of the hindbrain continuous with the pons anteriorly and the spinal cord posteriorly; it houses nerve centers for both motor and sensory nerves, where such functions as breathing and the beating of the heart are controlled. Called also myelencephalon. In animals the principal clinical manifestations of local lesions in the medulla are those of head rotation and circling, and facial and tongue paralysis with resulting difficulty in prehension and swallowing. With diffuse lesions spastic paralysis or a stiff-legged incoordination occurs.

medulla ossium

bone marrow.

renal medulla

the inner part of the substance of the kidney, composed chiefly of collecting tubules, and in some species organized into a group of structures called the renal pyramids.

spinal medulla, medulla spinalis

spinal cord.

medulla of thymus

the central portion of each lobule of the thymus; it contains many more reticular cells and far fewer lymphocytes than does the surrounding cortex.