1.Anatomy of the Medulla 2. Introduction to Brainstem Anatomy of the brainstem includes ( midbrain-pons-medulla ) is very complicated !! It connects spinal cord to the cerebrum. The mid brain pons, and medulla are connected to cerebellum posteriorly. 1 - ascending an descending tracts that connect brain to spinal cord. 2 - cranial nerves nuclei and their connections 3 - Reticular formation 4 - others e.g (olivarynucleus in MO tapizusbody in pons and red nucleus in MB ) 3. Medulla oblongata The medulla oblongata is the part of the brainstem between the pons and spinal cord It extends through the foramen magnum to the level of the atlas. Medulla is vital for our function, without medulla we die. Above the foramen magnum it is embraced dorsally by the cerebellar hemispheres. 1.The lower end which contains the upward continuation of the central canal of the spinal cord is the closed part of the medulla, 2.The upper end, where the canal comes to the surface as the lower part of the floor of the fourth ventricle, is the open part. 4. Medulla contd.. MO is lowest 3 cm of the brainstem it extend from the ponto- medullary junction until plane below foramina magnum for about 0.5 cm. Medulla spinalis have a central canal which prolonged into its lower half to open in the fourth ventricle at its upper half. CSF is encircle the MO from outside ( subarachnoid space ) and inside ( central canal ). MO is between the two lobes of cerebellum ( anterior cerebellar notch ) 5. EXTERNAL FEATURES AND RELATIONS 3Cm long. Located at the caudal portion of brainstem Upper limit is cerebello-pontine angle Transverse plane that above C1 (suboccipital) intersects upper border of atlas dorsally and centre of dens ventrally marks lower limit 6. VENTRAL SURFACE Ventral median fissure extends from foramen coecum to caudal end of pyramid decussation Lateral to median fissure is pyramid Lat to pyramid is the ventrolateral sulcus (VLS) Hypoglossal nerve rootlets emerge from VLS Lat to VLS is olive which contains inf olivary nucleus Inferior cerebellar peduncle connects medulla with cerebellum and forms side wall of caudal half of fourth ventricle 7. Ventral Surface Pyramid: Swelling on each side of anterior median fissure. Composed of bundles of nerve fibers, (corticospinal fibers) originate from the precentral gyrus of the cerebral cortex. The pyramids taper inferiorly and majority of the descending fibers decussate to the opposite side. Olive: Olives are the anterolateral oval elevations produced by the underlying inferior olivary nuclei. From the groove between the pyramid and the olive, the rootlets of the hypoglossal nerve emerge 8. LATERAL ASPECT Roots of glossopharyngeal , vagus and cranial division of accessory nerves are attached to the medulla dorsal to olive. 9. Dorsal surface At dorsal surface of closed part of medulla, gracile and cuneate fasciculi continue from the spinal