brainstem
Region where the top of the spinal cord merges with the undersurface of the brain, consisting largely of the medulla oblongata and midbrain.
The oldest part of the brain in evolutionary terms, the brainstem is the body's life-support centre, containing regulatory mechanisms for vital functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. It is also involved in controlling the level of consciousness by acting as a relay station for nerve connections to and from the higher centres of the brain.
In many countries, death of the brainstem is now formally recognized as death of the person as a whole. Such cases are the principal donors of organs for transplantation. So-called ‘beating-heart donors’ can be maintained for a limited period by life-support equipment.
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