The pons is the human brain structure whose name comes from the Latin word for “bridge.”
It is a broad part of the brainstem located between the midbrain and medulla oblongata. The pons contains pathways carrying signals between the cerebral cortex, spinal cord, and cerebellum, which helps explain the bridge metaphor. It also contains nuclei involved in facial sensation and movement, hearing, balance, and other functions.
The name was used because prominent transverse fibers in the pons appear to connect the two sides of the cerebellum. These fibers cross the front of the brainstem and form the middle cerebellar peduncles, major routes into the cerebellum.
The pons is sometimes described only as a relay station, but that is incomplete. It contains networks involved in sleep and arousal, and it contributes to breathing control together with other brainstem regions. Damage can therefore affect movement, sensation, eye movements, consciousness, and respiration.