medulla oblongata

The lower portion of the brain stem. It is inferior to the pons and anterior to the cerebellum. Medulla oblongata serves as a relay station between the brain and the spinal cord, and contains centers for regulating respiratory, vasomotor, cardiac, and reflex activities.

Definition from MeSH (D008526), National Library of Medicine, read 2026-09-23. NLM revises MeSH; this copy may not reflect its current record.