Which vital functions are regulated by the medulla oblongata?

The medulla oblongata is a crucial part of the brainstem that plays a significant role in regulating vital functions essential for survival. It controls several autonomic functions, including homeostasis, breathing, and heart rate. Specifically, it is responsible for the regulation of the respiratory rhythm, which ensures that breathing occurs in a controlled manner based on the body's metabolic needs. Additionally, the medulla oblongata regulates heart rate by influencing autonomic neural pathways that control cardiovascular activities.

Homeostasis involves maintaining the body's internal environment within a stable range, and the medulla contributes to this by adjusting the respiratory and circulatory systems as needed. This makes the option mentioning homeostasis, breathing, and heart rate the correct answer, as these are integral functions that the medulla oblongata supports to sustain life. Other areas of the brain and various neural pathways manage different functions, such as vision, hearing, memory, learning, language, and emotion which are not primarily governed by the medulla oblongata, thereby clarifying why those options are not correct in this context.