It consists of three major divisions: the medulla oblongata, the pons, and the midbrain. Underneath them is the spinal cord, which can be observed as the root. If you look closely at the structure of the brain stem, you’ll notice that it looks much like an actual stem, while the cerebrum looks like a flower growing from it. What are the three functions of the brain stem?Īs you can see, the brain stem has a wide range of functions that help your body operate. That is precisely why it’s vital for sustaining life. That process to keep you alive is controlled by your brainstem in reaction to your running. Yes, you can manipulate them yourself by going for a jog, but you don’t actually tell your heart rate to go up or your breathing to get heavier. You may be thinking, “but I can control my breathing and heart rate if I want to by running”. The brain stem regulates many of these functions in your body that are essential for you to live, such as your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and your central nervous system. In addition to serving as a bridge between the brain and the spinal cord and relaying information to all other parts of the brain, the main function of the brain stem is to regulate your body’s autonomic functions like breathing and digestion. It also acts as your body’s management control, regulating many of its autonomic functions. The brain stem is not just a connection between different areas of the brain.

Information bridge between the peripheral nerves and spinal cord to the upper areas of the brain.Other important brain stem functions also include: This allows you to have fine coordination and control of your motor movements. Within the brainstem are nerve tracts that relay signals from the cerebellum to areas of the cerebral cortex. The cerebellum is positioned right above the brainstem and beneath the occipital lobes at the back. It links the cerebrum and spinal cord together, as well as the cerebrum with the cerebellum. In a way, it can be considered as a control bridge between brain parts. The brain stem acts as a primary connection to several parts of the brain. To get a well-rounded picture of all the brain stem functions, we’ll need to learn what parts does the brain stem connect to. Without it, your brain can’t communicate and send signals to the rest of the body and vice versa. Similar to the tree trunk example that we gave in our intro, the brain stem is basically the vital connection that keeps everything in functioning order. To put it simply, the brain stem acts as a connection cable allowing connected nerves to send signals from your brain to the rest of your body. Many experts believe that the brain stem is the most important part of the brain. Let’s start by answering that basic question that all the science googlers out there want to know. About the Brain Stem: Function and Injury

Brain stem function and balance