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 brain has three major parts: 1  The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain. It is at the top of the head. 2  The cerebellum is in the lower back of the brain (near the middle of the back of the head). It controls movement, balance, and posture. 3  The brain stem connects the brain to the spinal cord.