Brain Stem Injury can be Catastrophic

What an Injured Brain Stem Means

By Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.

Brain Stem injury can be so catastrophic because it deals with the autonomic nervous system, which is in charge of heart rate and respiration. It is possible that such an injury would be fatal. This kind of injury can be caused from trauma. However, it may also be caused by herniation of the cerebral cortex into the brain stem.

Herniation of the Brain Stem in Severe Brain Injury

The brain stem is made up of the Midbrain, the Pons and the Medulla Oblongata.

Herniation means to bulge out. A herniation of the brain involves a pushing out of the brain into the cavity of the skull where the brain stem is. This will squeeze the brain stem, causing a disruption to breathing and blood pressure, which can be fatal.

The brainstem is the most inner part of the lower brain, including the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.

The Midbrain

The midbrain, also known as the mesencephalon, is the top part of the brainstem and is the nearest to the cerebral cortex. It splits into an anterior and posterior section. Motor tracts pass along the midbrain’s frontal surface. Sensory axons communicate the sense of touch run behind the motor tracts.

The Pons

The pons is in between the midbrain and the medulla oblongata. Motor and sensory axonal tracts run along the front of the pons. Sensory axons are found behind the motor axons. The tracts of cranial nerves control tongue, teeth, and facial signals and motor movements of the eye.

The Medulla Oblongata

The medulla oblongata is the lowest part of the brainstem. Cell nuclei of other cranial nerves are in the medulla oblongata.

Brain Injury Help Video Tutorial

In Phase Two of braininjuryhelp.com, we are now releasing our Brain Injury Help videos, focusing on my interview of Dr. Erin Bigler of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. These videos are intended to be comprehensive in scope, focusing on three primary areas: Brain Structures, the Neuron and brain injury pathology. Below are the embedded videos for each of these three series. The Brain Anatomy videos begin with the 100 series, including the video at our homepage. The Neuron series begins with 202, below and the brain injury pathology begin with 301 below. Also embedded below is the introduction to Dr. Bigler and his approach to his profession of neuropsychology.

Gordon Johnson

Attorney Gordon Johnson is one of the nations leading brain injury advocates. He is Past-Chair of the TBILG, a national group of more than 150 brain injury advocates. He has spoken at numerous brain injury seminars and is the author of some of the most read brain injury web pages on the internet.

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