She died of sepsis from a ruptured intestine. ( 1 CNN)Actress Patty Duke died Tuesday as a result of sepsis from a ruptured intestine, according to Mitchell K. Stubbs & Associates, the agency that represented her. She was 69.
How Your Brain Works. The basic lower brain consists of the spinal cord, brain stem and diencephalon (the cerebellum and cortex are also present, but will be discussed in later sections). In turn, the brain stem comprises the medulla, pons, midbrain, hypothalamus and thalamus [source: Health Pages].
Nervous System: The brain stem is located at the lower, back part or posterior of the brain. It connects the brain with the spinal column. All motor and sensory nerve connections from the brain go through the brain stem to the rest of the body. The brain stem is important in regulating the cardiovascular, respiratory, and central nervous systems.