This is the hindbrain, or rhombencephalon. The entire brain is sometimes called the "encephalon".
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The midbrain and the hindbrain are both shown here. The hindbrain controls things like breathing and the heart rate. The midbrain controls higher functions. The hindbrain is automatic, like a machine.
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This is a lateral view of a dissection of the brainstem. Some of the top components are involved in emotion.
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This is a deep dissection of the brainstem showing the olive. The olive is so named because it is roughly in the shape of an olive.
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This illustration shows the medulla spinalis.
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This is a dissected view of the same brain division. As one can see, it connects into the spinal chord.
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The hippocampus is shown in this dissection. Pathology has been reported in the hippocampus in both Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. The pathology in Alzheimer's disease is sometimes different from that seen in schizophrenia. Fibrillary tangles are seen. Granulovacuolar degeneration is seen in Alzheimer's disease.
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This is a lateral view of the deep dissection of the brainstem. Shown here is the famous substantia nigra (black substance), which is the site of pathology in Parkinson's disease. In this terrible neurological disease the area is lighter than it should be due to a shortage of neuromelanin. Neuromelanin is a metabolite of dopamine and the quantity of neuromelanin reflects the quantity of dopamine metabolism, which is deficient in Parkinson's disease.
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This is a section of the medulla oblongata. For more information on anatomy, a good website to consult is the Bartleby website, which this author has spent a lot of time reading.
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This is another section of the medulla oblongata. This website does not deal with the spinal chord, but there are terrible diseases of the spinal chord. Spinal chord injury can result in paralysis. A broken neck can result in quadraplegia, unfortunately.
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