brainstem
nounUK /ˈbreɪn.stem/
US /ˈbreɪn.stem/
The brainstem is the lower part of your brain that connects it to your spinal cord and helps you breathe and stay awake.
The brainstem controls things your body does without you thinking, like breathing.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The stalk-like part of the brain that joins the cerebrum to the spinal cord.
Doctors checked the brainstem after the accident.
3. A part of the nervous system that handles automatic body functions.
The brainstem keeps your heart beating while you sleep.
4. The lowest section of the brain in many animals.
In fish, the brainstem is a large and important structure.