Pons: n. a structure on the brain stem that lies above the medulla and regulates sleep, arousal, consciousness, and sensory processes.
Pons is Latin for bridge. In the brain, the pons is a horse shoe-shaped structure in the brain stem that is crucial to life. It consists of nerve fibers that connect the cerebrum and the cerebellum, and bridges sensory information between the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
Because it is linked to the cerebellum, which controls balance and coordination, the pons plays a part in maintaining posture. Furthermore, it regulates the sleep/wake cycle and is responsible for the feeling of "falling" that occurs during sleep. It also functions to regulate consciousness, facial movement, and dreaming.
References:
Photo Credit:
http://neuroaid.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/Hindbrain-brainstem.jpg
Because it is linked to the cerebellum, which controls balance and coordination, the pons plays a part in maintaining posture. Furthermore, it regulates the sleep/wake cycle and is responsible for the feeling of "falling" that occurs during sleep. It also functions to regulate consciousness, facial movement, and dreaming.
References:
- Henry Gray (1862). Anatomy, descriptive and surgical. Blanchard and Lea. pp. 514–. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- Pastorino, E., Doyle-Portillo, S. (2012). What is Psychology? Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
- Pons. (2013). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/469642/pons.
- Sternberg, R.J., Sternberg, K. (2011). Cognitive Psychology. Wadsworth Publishing.
- West, M. (2012, November 15). What is the Function of the Pons? Retrieved February 12, 2013, from wiseGEEK's website: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-function-of-the-pons.htm.
Photo Credit:
http://neuroaid.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/Hindbrain-brainstem.jpg