noun
- The part of the brainstem that develops from the hindbrain and includes the medulla oblongata; the most posterior division of the brain.
Usage: anatomy; neuroscience; technical
Examples
- The myelencephalon controls vital functions such as breathing and heart rate.
- During embryonic development, the myelencephalon forms from the rhombencephalon.
- Damage to the myelencephalon can be life-threatening because it regulates essential autonomic functions.
- In neurology courses, students learn that the myelencephalon contains the nuclei for several cranial nerves.
- The myelencephalon is continuous with the spinal cord at the foramen magnum.