The center for autonomic cardiorespiratory control located in the brainstem is:

• A. Pons
• B. Medulla
• C. Cerebellum
• D. Thalamus

Answer: (B)

The brainstem houses the automatic control of heart rate and breathing, and the medulla oblongata is the primary center for this function. It contains the cardioinhibitory center, which mediates parasympathetic output to slow the heart, and the cardioaccelerator center, which influences sympathetic activity to regulate heart rate and vascular tone. It also houses the main respiratory centers—the dorsal and ventral respiratory groups—that generate and adjust the rhythm and depth of breathing in response to chemical and pressure feedback. The pons plays a modulatory role in breathing, but the essential autonomic commands for heart and lung function come from the medulla. The cerebellum is involved in coordinating movement, not autonomic cardiorespiratory control, and the thalamus mainly serves as a relay for sensory information.