Final answer:
The brainstem controls the heart, lungs, and important reflexes. It coordinates motor control signals, and controls important functions such as alertness, breathing, and heart rate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The brainstem controls the heart, lungs, and important reflexes. It consists of the midbrain, medulla oblongata, and the pons. Motor and sensory neurons extend through the brainstem allowing for the relay of signals between the brain and spinal cord. The brainstem also coordinates motor control signals sent from the brain to the body and controls important functions such as alertness, arousal, breathing, blood pressure, digestion, heart rate, swallowing, walking, and sensory and motor information integration.