Medulla oblongata the medulla as part of the primordial reptilian brain is confirmed by its disproportionate size in modern reptiles such as the crocodile, alligator, and monitor lizard. Medulla oblongata The medulla oblongata (or medulla) is located in the brainstem, anterior and partially inferior to the cerebellum. It is a cone-shaped neuronal mass responsible for autonomic (involuntary) functions ranging from vomiting to sneezing. The medulla contains the cardiac, respiratory, vomiting and vasomotor centers and therefore deals with the autonomic functions of breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. During embryonic development the medulla oblongata develops from the myelencephalon. The myelencephalon is a secondary
Medulla (hair) The medulla's presence in human hair and its patterns differ both from person to person and from strand to strand on a single person's head. One hair may have an absent medulla while another from the same person may have a complete or fragmented medulla. For this reason, medulla patterns are not very useful as forensic evidence and are typically only used for determining the species of the subject. The medulla contains large amounts of mitochondrial (as opposed to nuclear) DNA. Mitochondrial DNA is passed from the mother to her offspring. As such, mtDNA may be of forensic value. Medulla