BRAINSTEM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does brainstem mean? 

• BRAINSTEM (noun)
  The noun BRAINSTEM has 1 sense:

1. the part of the brain continuous with the spinal cord and comprising the medulla oblongata and pons and midbrain and parts of the hypothalamus

  Familiarity information: BRAINSTEM used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BRAINSTEM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The part of the brain continuous with the spinal cord and comprising the medulla oblongata and pons and midbrain and parts of the hypothalamus

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

brain-stem; brain stem; brainstem

Hypernyms ("brainstem" is a kind of...):

neural structure (a structure that is part of the nervous system)

Meronyms (parts of "brainstem"):

bulb; medulla; medulla oblongata (lower or hindmost part of the brain; continuous with spinal cord; ('bulb' is an old term for medulla oblongata))

pons; pons Varolii (a band of nerve fibers linking the medulla oblongata and the cerebellum with the midbrain)

reticular formation; RF (a complex neural network in the central core of the brainstem; monitors the state of the body and functions in such processes as arousal and sleep and attention and muscle tone)

Holonyms ("brainstem" is a part of...):

brain; encephalon (that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord)

 Context examples 

The questionnaire contains 7 functional system; pyramidal functions, cerebellar functions, brainstem functions, sensory function, bowel and bladder function, visual function, and cerebral (or mental) functions.

(Kurtzke Functional Systems Scores Questionnaire, NCI Thesaurus)

Brainstem gliomas, medulloblastomas, ependymomas, and certain pineal tumors are relatively common primary malignant tumors of the CNS in children.

(Malignant Childhood Central Nervous System Neoplasm, NCI Thesaurus)

White matter pathway, flanked by nuclear masses, consisting of both afferent and efferent fibers projecting between the cerebral cortex and the brainstem.

(Internal Capsule, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

It originates in the brainstem and passes through the jugular foramen.

(Glossopharyngeal Nerve, NCI Thesaurus)

This immunoconjugate targets the dopamine-beta-hydroxylase enzyme localized on adrenergic nerves in the brainstem particular medulla and pons, thereby could be used to study neurodegenerative disorders and/or address fundamental neurobiological questions.

(Anti-Dopamine-b-Hydroxylase Monoclonal Antibody-Saporin, NCI Thesaurus)

The lower portion of the brainstem located between the pons and brainstem.

(Medulla Oblongata, NCI Thesaurus)

The vestibular nerve carries information from the labyrinths of the inner ear to the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem.

(Murine Vestibulocochlear Nerve, NCI Thesaurus)

The middle portion of the brainstem located between the midbrain and the medulla oblongata.

(Murine Pons, NCI Thesaurus)

The uppermost portion of the brainstem located between the pons and the diencephalon.

(Mesencephalon, NCI Thesaurus)

The point at the base of the skull where the brainstem and cervical spine intersect.

(Cervicomedullary Junction, NCI Thesaurus)