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medulla oblongata

American  

noun

Anatomy.
medulla oblongatas, plural medullae oblongatae plural
  1. the lowest or hindmost part of the brain, continuous with the spinal cord.


medulla oblongata British  
/ ˌɒblɒŋˈɡɑːtə /

noun

  1. the lower stalklike section of the brain, continuous with the spinal cord, containing control centres for the heart and lungs

"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

medulla oblongata Scientific  
/ ŏb′lông-gätə /
medulla oblongatas plural
  1. The lowermost portion of the brainstem in humans and other mammals. It is important in the reflex control of involuntary processes, including respiration, heartbeat, and blood pressure.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of medulla oblongata

1670–80; < New Latin: the long medulla

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The library nearly resembles the shape of a brain, with the entrance being the medulla oblongata and the robust flooring as the cerebellum.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2023

Create a visual representation of system composed only of the cortex, the medulla oblongata, the heart and the lungs.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The respiratory rate is controlled by the respiratory center located within the medulla oblongata in the brain, which responds primarily to changes in carbon dioxide, oxygen, and pH levels in the blood.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The paired vertebral arteries join together to form the large basilar artery at the base of the medulla oblongata.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

They are due to an exudation on the medulla oblongata and spinalis.

From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various

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