The medulla oblongata is the lower half of the brainstem which is continuous with the spinal cord the upper half being the pons. It is often referred to simply as the medulla. The medulla contains the cardiac respiratory vomiting and vasomotor centers and so deals with the autonomic (involuntary) functions of breathing heart rate and blood pressure.The bulb is an archaic term for the medulla oblongata and in modern clinical usage the word bulbar (e.g.
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