Medulla Oblongata
- corticospinal tracts descend from the cerebral cortex carrying motor signals to the spinal cord
- reticular formation begins in the upper spinal cord and ascends through the medulla, pons and midbrain
- cranial nerves IX, X, part of I, XII begin or end in the medulla oblongata
Pons
- cranial nerves V through VIII begin or end in the pons
- part of the fourth ventricle bordered the pons
Midbrain
- central gray matter surround the aqueduct and functions with the reticular formation
- substantia nigra - motor center that relays inhibitory signals to the thalamus and basal nuclei
- cranial nerves III and IV originate in the midbrain
Diencephalon - thalamus, hypothalamus and epithalamus. All surround the third ventricle of the brain
Thalamus
- gateway to the cerebral cortex - the relay station
- key role in motor control
- nearly all sensory input and other going to the cerebrum passes by way of synapses in the thalamic nucleus
Hypothalamus
- major control center of the autonomic nervous system and endocrine systems
- plays an essential role in the homeostatic regulation of nearly all organs of the body
Epithalamus
- consists mainly of the pineal gland which regulates sleep/wake cycle
Reticular Formation consists of more than 100 small neural networks which include
- somatic motor control
- cardiovascular control
- pain modulation
- sleep and consciousness
- habituation
Cerebellum - largest part of the hindbrain and second largest part of the brain as a whole
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