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Related Concept Videos

Brainstem: Control Centers of Medulla01:21

Brainstem: Control Centers of Medulla

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The medulla oblongata is a crucial part of the brainstem responsible for controlling various autonomic and involuntary functions. It contains several nuclei, including the olivary, cuneate, gracile, and solitary nuclei.
Olivary Nucleus
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The brainstem, located inferior to the brain and superior to the spinal cord, serves as a bridge between the cerebrum and the spinal cord. It plays a vital role in relaying information and controlling critical life functions. It comprises three primary regions: the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.
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Pain01:20

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Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
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Neural Control of Respiration01:18

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The neural regulation of respiration is a meticulously coordinated process primarily controlled by the respiratory centers located within the brainstem. These centers, composed of specialized neurons, transmit nerve impulses that control the contraction and relaxation of our respiratory muscles.
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Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones01:29

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Bones are dynamic organs that require a rich supply of oxygen and nutrients. Around 5% to 10% of the cardiac output supplies blood to the bones. A typical long bone has three main sources: the nutrient artery, the metaphyseal and epiphyseal arteries, and the periosteal arteries.
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Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

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Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents
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Brainstem in pain control.

Luke A Henderson1, Lewis S Crawford1, Kevin A Keay1

  • 1School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Handbook of Clinical Neurology
|March 27, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The brainstem

Keywords:
Conditioned pain modulationMidbrain periaqueductal gray matterPlaceboRostral ventromedial medullaSubnucleus reticularis dorsalis

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pain Research
  • Brainstem Circuits

Background:

  • Pain processing is crucial for survival, alerting individuals to danger.
  • Pain perception can be modulated by emotional states, stress, attention, and expectation.
  • Pain modulation circuits are primarily located in evolutionarily ancient brainstem regions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review brainstem circuits controlling noxious information processing.
  • To explore how higher brain regions influence these brainstem sites for pain modulation.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of neuroscientific studies on pain modulation.
  • Analysis of brainstem and higher cortical region interactions in pain pathways.

Main Results:

  • Brainstem circuits are key modulators of noxious stimuli.
  • Higher cortical areas influence pain intensity by engaging brainstem pathways.
  • Pain modulation is vital for survival and recovery, involving primitive brain regions.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding brainstem pain modulation is essential for comprehending pain control mechanisms.
  • Interactions between higher cortical and brainstem regions are critical for modulating pain perception.