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Concept

Medulla oblongata

The image depicts the medulla oblongata, the lower portion of the brainstem, with its characteristic bulbous shape and intricate surface texture, highlighting its role in controlling vital functions like breathing and heart rate.

The lower half of the brainstem, sitting just above the spinal cord, which contains the autonomic centres that control breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. Its central chemoreceptors monitor the pH of cerebrospinal fluid as a proxy for arterial carbon dioxide, and adjust ventilation in seconds. Damage to this small structure — a few centimetres across — is rapidly fatal, since breathing stops.

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