brainstem
or brain stem
the portion of the brain that is continuous with the spinal cord and comprises the medulla oblongata, pons, midbrain, and parts of the hypothalamus, functioning in the control of reflexes and such essential internal mechanisms as respiration and heartbeat.
Origin of brainstem
1Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use brainstem in a sentence
These are a few of the centers which are present in the brain stem.
Physiology | Ernest G. MartinThese are three in number, named the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem.
Physiology | Ernest G. MartinWe have a center in the brain stem from which the nervous discharges come.
Physiology | Ernest G. MartinThere's a place in the brain stem called the isthmus, no cell masses, just bundles of fibers running up and down.
A Matter of Proportion | Anne WalkerThe kind of joint to be used having been hit upon, the next point was to secure a safe passage for the brain stem.
A Book of Exposition | Homer Heath Nugent
British Dictionary definitions for brainstem
/ (ˈbreɪnˌstɛm) /
the stalklike part of the brain consisting of the medulla oblongata, the midbrain, and the pons Varolii
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for brainstem
[ brān′stĕm′ ]
The part of the vertebrate brain located at the base of the brain and made up of the medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain. The brainstem controls and regulates vital body functions, including respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure. See also reticular formation.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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