Encephalic trunk what is, functions and parts

Surely you know the brain and where it is located, or you even know its different lobes. It is also common to have knowledge about the spinal cord, but the brain trunk, many times, is the great forgotten of the central nervous system.

Often, its parts are unknown or what function you perform, you can even cost you to locate it exactly. Therefore, if you want to learn more about this structure, where you can locate it, what are its functions and its different parts and sub -structures that compose it, ¡keep reading! In this Psychology-online article, we will talk about the Encephalic trunk: what is, functions and parts.

1. What is the brain trunk
2. Functions of the brain trunk
3. Party trunk parts

What is the brain trunk

The brain trunk is a Structure of the central nervous system which contains afferent and efferent neural circuits, that is, they receive and send motor, vegetative and sensory information.

If you wonder where the brainstem is located, specifically, this is Located in the most caudal part of the brain, that is to say, Between the brain and the spinal cord. If we want to see it whole, we will not be able to do it with the naked eye in a normal brain, since the cerebral cortex hides much of the brain trunk and practically does not see the midbrain. To better understand its location, you can consult this article on the cerebral cortex: functions and parts.

Functions of the brain trunk

The general function of the brain trunk is collect and send information, both sensory and motor, head and face, Unlike the spinal cord that transmits and receives information from the trunk and limbs. Specifically, the functions of the brain trunk are:

• Collect and send head and face sensory information.
• Receive information from the brain and distributes it to the motor and vegetative periphery of head and face
• Organize head and face reflex responses.
• Cortical activation control: It is related to the nuclei of the reticular formation.
• Controls acceptance or rejection of sweet or bitter foods,
• Modulates the satiety or physiological signs of hunger, as a decrease in glucose metabolism or that there is food in the digestive system.

If you are interested in knowing more other parts of the brain and its functioning, in this article you will find more information about how the human brain works.

Party trunk parts

The brain trunk is made up of three main elements: The spinal bulb (medulla oblongata), Burbing and midbrain. In these three parts of the brain trunk we find the main structures that compose it, which are divided between those found in their ventral face and those that we can find in the dorsal face.

Ventral face

In the ventral face of the brain trunk you can see the different structures. On the one hand, on the ventral face of the midbrain are found The brain peduncles, structures that at first glance might seem two slightly inclined columns formed by axons, which conduct motor information through them.

On the other hand, in the central part of the bump and spinal bulb, specifically in the latter, there are pyramids and bulbar olives:

• Pyramids: They are formed by axons that cross, many of them, the midline, giving rise to what is called the accusation of the pyramids, that is, that place where the parts of the axons that form the pyramids cross the midline and where the information is lateralize.
• Olivas bulbares: They are related to the processing of auditory information.

If you want more information about the operation of these structures, we recommend this article about the spinal bulb: what is, parts, characteristics and functions.

Dorsal face

Most of the dorsal face of the brain trunk is hidden by the brain. Even so, we also find some relevant structures such as COLLIC OR CUADRIGH TUBERCULATIONS:

• Two upper colicles: They are related to the processing of optical sensory information.
• Two lower colicles or quadrigity tubers: They are related to the processing of auditory sensory information.

To locate ourselves in the brain trunk and mention where some certain alterations or structures are found, we use a more concrete terminology instead of talking about dorsal or ventral face. Specifically, we talk about TECTUM to refer to the dorsal part and Tegmentum To refer to the ventral part.

Cranial nerves

On the surface of the brain trunk we can observe 10 of the 12 cranial nerves related to the sensory and motor information of the head and face. The other two pairs of cranial nerves (I and II) do not connect with the brain trunk, but connect with their respective sensory structures directly, and are the olfactory nerve and the optic nerve, connected to the optical quiasm.

Unlike the spinal nerves that are all mixed, that is, they conduct sensory and motor information, cranial nerves can only be sensory, only engines or mixed. Let's see what are the 10 pairs of cranial nerves connected to the brainstem:

• III. Oculomotor nerve: It is related to the movements of the eyeball.
• IV: Troclear or pathetic nerve: It is also related to the movements of the eyeball.
• V. Trigeminal nerve: It is a mixed nerve, so it receives and transmits sensory and motor information. The sensory branch transports somatosensory information and the face, and the motor branch of the jaw movements.
• SAW. Abducenes: Like the third and fourth torque, it is related to the transport of information on eye movements.
• VII. Facial: Another mixed nerve that receives and transmits sensory and motor information. Motor information is related to facial gestures and tear and salivary glands. On the other hand, the sensory branch is related to the taste of the previous 2/3.
• VIII. cochlear lobby.
• IV. GOOSSO-PHARINGI: mixed nerve, whose vegetative part is responsible for functions such as swallowing, and the sensory part of the taste of the posterior third of the tongue and the pharynx.
• X. Vagus or vagus: transports vegetative information that innervates the digestive, respiratory and cardiac system, among others. In addition, it also transmits sensory information on the taste of the pharynx.
• XI. Accessory spinal: Motor related to the information of the movement of the neck.
• XII. Halibut: Motor related to language movements.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Encephalic trunk: what is, functions and parts, We recommend that you enter our category of neuropsychology.