Why is the medulla oblongata called the vital center?

Answer and Explanation:

The medulla oblongata may be regarded as the “spinal cord of the head” when viewed from the perspective of its importance in the control of head and facial musculature. The medulla oblongata is not an independent entity in the central nervous system. It does not participate in a single function that is not, at some level, dependent on input from and modulation by other regions of the nervous system. The medulla oblongata acts as a pipeline for ascending and descending pathways involved in a wide variety of nervous system functions and also as a processor of input from a diverse array of sources located within the periphery as well as from all levels of the nervous system. Many of the homeostatic functions of the nervous system are regulated by neurons confined to the medulla oblongata, although these processes are fine-tuned through a host of interactions with most levels of the neuraxis.