by Lain

Created on: May 01, 2007   Last Updated: May 08, 2007

The Brain is one of the most amazing organs in the human body. It regulates and controls a number of different body functions, controls movement, helps us to experience sensation and emotion. In a journey through the brain starting from the top of the spinal cord and into the brain can give us a good idea into just what the brain is and what it does.

From the top of the spinal cord, one can see the brain clearly. The brain, is part of the Central Nervous System, one of the two nerve systems in the human body (the second system being the Peripheral Nervous System). The Central Nervous System consists of the brain and the spinal cord, as they are the main systems of nerve communication. Even the Peripheral Nervous System "reports" back to the spinal cord and then up to the brain.

The brain itself consists of three different parts: the Hindbrain, Midbrain, and Forebrain.

Thus, the first feature of the brain clearly visible from the top of the spinal cord is classified as part of the Hindbrain. In all actuality, the Medulla (the brain structure in question), is really an extension of the spinal cord up into the brain. This extension is partially just "white matter" in the brain, and partially clumps or neurons, or nuclei as they are called in the Central Nervous System. (Koenigshofer, 2004). The medulla serves to control basic life functions such as breathing, heart beat, blood pressure, and the like. Additionally, it relays important nerve information from the brain to the spinal cord. Since the Medulla serves such a basic, but important role in the brain and life, damage to this area can be, and usually is, fatal.

The next Hindbrain structure is the Pons, a protruding nodule-like part of the brain located forward with the next structure, the Cerebellum located on the backside of us and the Pons. The Pons serves as a regulator for breathing, while other nuclei in the Pons are rather famously known for their involvement in dream sleeping (or REM sleep). It is widely believed and accepted that the Pons contains nuclei that are trigger dream filled sleep.

Opposite the Pons is the Cerebellum, also part of the brainstem, as all Hindbrain and Midbrain structures are. Although the Cerebellum's role isn't exclusive, it does serve as a partial control for movement dealing with muscle coordination, body balance, and the formation and storage of muscle memory. As such, injuries to this area of the brain can cause severe problems with movement. As mentioned earlier, the Cerebellum

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