Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Area postrema
Introduction
Overview
Overview
The area postrema is a part of the brain that controls vomiting. It was discovered in 1953 by Utah Pharmacologists Herbert L. Borison and S. C. Wang [1].
Location
Location
It is located in the lateral reticular formation of the medulla oblongata. More specifically, it is located between the funiculus separans (a narrow translucent ridge cossing the ala cinerea) and the clava, as a small tongue-shaped area.
Function
Function
The Area postrema, one of the circumventricular organs, detects toxins in the blood and acts as a vomit inducing center. It connects to the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract and other autonomic control centres in the brainstem. It is thus excited by visceral afferent impulses (sympathetic and vagal) arising from the gastrointestinal tract and other peripheral trigger areas.