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].
The medulla is the large bump at the top of your brain stem. It connects the brain to the spinal cord. Its main function is to control your heartrate and breathing.    â¦ Medulla is the lowest part of the hindbrain. The hindbrain is also called the brainstem.. The hindbrain is the lowermost brain division; formed by enlargement of the spinal cord as it enters the cranial cavity.