The role of the medulla in cardiovascular function involves the regulation of heart rate and blood pressure to ensure that an adequate blood ...NEUROSCIENTIFICALLYCHALLENGEDNEUROSCIENCEMADESIMPLERSubscribeKnowYourBrain:MedullaOblongataSeptember15,2016Whereisthemedullaoblongata?Themedullaoblongata,oftensimplycalledthemedulla,isanelongatedsectionofneuraltissuethatmakesuppartofthebrainstem.Themedullaisanteriortothecerebellumandisthepartofthebrainstemthatconnectstothespinalcord.Itiscontinuouswiththespinalcord,meaningthereisnotacleardelineationbetweenthespinalcordandmedullabutratherthespinalcordgraduallytransitionsintothemedulla.Whatisthemedullaoblongataandwhatdoesitdo?Formostofthe18thcentury,themedullaoblongatawasthoughttosimplybeanextensionofthespinalcordwithoutanydistinctfunctionsofitsown.Thischangedin1806,whenJulien-Jean-CesarLegalloisfoundthathecouldremovethecortexandcerebellumofrabbitsandtheywouldcontinuetobreathe.Whenheremovedaspecificsectionofthemedulla,however,respirationstoppedimmediately.Legalloishadfoundwhathebelievedtobea"respiratorycenter"inthemedulla,andsoonafterthemedullawasconsideredtobeacenterofvitalfunctions(i.e.functionsnecessaryforsurvival).Overtime,exactlywhich"vitalfunctions"werelinkedtothemedullawouldbecomemoreclear,andthemedullawouldcometoberecognizedasacrucialareaforthecontrolofbothcardiovascularandrespiratoryfunctions.Theroleofthemedullaincardiovascularfunctioninvolvestheregulationofheartrateandbloodpressuretoensurethatanadequatebloodsupplycontinuestocirculatethroughoutthebodyatalltimes.Toaccomplishthis,anucleusinthemedullacalledthenucleusofthesolitarytractreceivesinformationfromstretchreceptorsinbloodvessels.Thesereceptors---calledbaroreceptors---candetectwhenthewallsofbloodvesselsexpandandcontract,andthuscandetectchangesinbloodpressure.Watchthis2-MinuteNeurosciencevideotolearnmoreaboutthemedullaoblongata.Whenbaroreceptorssendsignalsindicatingthatbloodpressureisdeviatingfromadesiredrange,thenreflexivemechanismsareenactedtoreturnittoequilibrium