She died of sepsis from a ruptured intestine. ( 1 CNN)Actress Patty Duke died Tuesday as a result of sepsis from a ruptured intestine, according to Mitchell K. Stubbs & Associates, the agency that represented her. She was 69.
How Your Brain Works. The basic lower brain consists of the spinal cord, brain stem and diencephalon (the cerebellum and cortex are also present, but will be discussed in later sections). In turn, the brain stem comprises the medulla, pons, midbrain, hypothalamus and thalamus [source: Health Pages].
The medulla oblongata is part of the nervous system in the lower  half of the brainstem in which connects the brain and spinal cord.  It is subconscious and it controls the â¦ involuntary action such as  breathing, blood pressure and even heartbeat. Answered.he lower portion of the brainstem (brainstem includes the middle brain, pons, and medulla oblongata), which controls visceral functions of the body, such as heart rate, breathing/respiration, and blood pressure.