US Medical Term · anatomy
Brainstem
Tallo cerebral
Also: Tronco encefálico (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Brainstem |
| Spanish (Español) | Tallo cerebral |
| Chinese (中文) | 腦幹 |
| Korean (한국어) | 뇌간 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Thân não |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Tangkay ng utak |
| Portuguese (Português) | Tronco cerebral |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ก้านสมอง |
| Japanese (日本語) | 脳幹 |
What it means
The brainstem is the stalk-like structure at the base of your brain that connects the brain to the spinal cord. It controls many automatic functions your body needs to survive, including breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and swallowing. The brainstem also manages sleep cycles, your ability to stay awake, and many reflexes. Most of the signals traveling between your body and brain pass through the brainstem. It consists of three parts: the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. Injury or disease in the brainstem can be life-threatening because it controls so many vital functions. Brain death is defined by the permanent loss of brainstem activity.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My doctor explained that the accident caused damage to my brainstem.
Mi doctor explicó que el accidente causó daño en el tallo cerebral.
Why does brainstem damage affect my breathing?
¿Por qué el daño en el tallo cerebral afecta mi respiración?
The imaging showed compression of the brainstem from swelling.
Las imágenes mostraron compresión del tallo cerebral por inflamación.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026