Kristen Axon PSY 170
Hernandez
September 11, 2014
An Important Part of the Brain

All in all, the brain is one of the most important and vital organs in the body. Without it humans (and other living things) would be unable to function or live. And with the brain comes the various areas that control functions within it, including the medulla oblongata. In basic terms it works the “automatic processes” such as “breathing, blood circulation, swallowing, blinking, etc.” (notes). If the medulla did not exist, neither would we because it controls main methods of surviving. I feel the medulla is part of the most essential pieces in the brain and support this by identifying its role in more depth, explaining where it is located and its general shape, and also clarifying the functions and malfunctions that can occur with it.
As explained, I feel the medulla is highly important. It allows living things (that have a developed brain) to survive. In a Wikipedia excerpt on the medulla oblongata it describes how the medulla itself is connected to the “lower half of the brain stem which is continuous with the spinal cord” and it runs from the spinal cord to the pons (Wikipedia). The pons “include sensory roles in hearing, equilibrium, and taste, and in facial sensations, as well as motor roles in eye movement, facial expressions, chewing, swallowing, and the secretion of saliva and tears” (Wikipedia). These are other important survival needs for living creates, such as humans. And the spinal cord allows both these functions and the medulla’s automatic processes to be transferred and completed through the nervous system. Being termed automatic also indicates the significance of the role of the medulla. When someone wants to move their arm they can, and that would be considered a voluntary process. Which leads to the conclusion that it is not necessarily imperative in order to live. You choose to move your arm, where as your body is typically unaffected in this act. But since your body has a specific area dedicated to automatic processes you do not usually control, that indicates these functions are vital for just living itself. Your body knows it needs these actions to survive and ensures they are taken care of.
In order to more understand the medulla though, it is significant to know where it is located and its general shape. It was noted earlier that it is at the lower end of the brain stem but it can be more specifically placed. Healthline, a website that gives information on health and parts of the body, clarifies how it is “located in the brainstem, anterior to the cerebellum” which is the nape of the neck if you are ‘looking’ from the outside (Healthline). As for its shape, Healthline illustrates it as “a cone-shaped neuronal mass in the hindbrain” (Healthline). It is basically pyramidal as most describe it with various sections and parts of its own within it. The location is fairly vulnerable but being in a very close connection to the brainstem allows it to control its functions with ease.
In the end, the most prominent aspect of the medulla oblongata is it functions and malfunctions. The purpose for the medulla is to control the automatic processes in the body including blood flow, blinking, breathing, vomiting, etc. If these functions did not occur, then humans would not exist at all. We need to clean our bodies if a dangerous or repulsive substance enters it and of course breathe oxygen in. It would be too complicated to focus on breathing all the time and even more impossible to control blood flow since the medulla controls this too. As important as these tasks are, malfunctions however can still occur including “medullary syndrome, lateral medullary infraction, lesions, death, paralysis, speech problems, and other defects” (Right Diagnosis). These conditions were given by the website Right Diagnosis which contributes to more medical information and is sponsored by healthgrades™ another website dedicated to finding doctors near you. A malfunction in the medulla can be a serious issue based off the importance of the medulla and its various roles. Though a person is still capable of surviving, life can become more of a struggle for them.
In conclusion, I feel the medulla is one of the most significant parts of the brain especially since I believe the basis of survival lies on it. I have discussed the specific part of the brain, its general shape and location, and also the functions it provides and a few malfunctions that can occur. It controls that automatic processes that we ourselves would be unable to focus on or regulate all the time. For example, we cannot pay attention to breathing when we sleep which the medulla maintains instead. Blood flow is also crucial for our hearts to keep us alive and as stated earlier it would be impossible for a person to control that internal system. Although many parts of the brain are very important, the medulla oblongata is definitely the one a person or living creature cannot go without.

Works Cited
"Medulla Oblongata." Medulla Oblongata Function, Definition & Location. Ed. Healthline Team. Healthline. Web. 15 Sept. 2014. <http://www.healthline.com/human-body- maps/medulla-oblongata>.
"Medulla Oblongata." Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation Inc., 22 Aug. 2014. Web. 15 Sept. 2015.<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medulla_oblongata>. "Medulla Oblongata." Right Diagnosis. Healthygrades, n.d., 17 June. 2014. Web. 16 Sept. 2014.<http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/organ/medulla_oblongata.htm>.
Ch. 2 “The Biological Perspective.” Notes from class