What is the structure and function of the reticular formation?

What is the structure and function of the reticular formation?

The reticular formation contains long ascending (i.e. traveling to the brain) and descending (i.e. traveling from the brain to the body) tracts. The descending projections are primarily involved with the modulation of sensory and motor pathways.

What is the main function of the reticular formation *?

Sleep and consciousness: The reticular formation has projections to the thalamus and cerebral cortex that allow it to exert some control over which sensory signals reach the cerebrum and come to our conscious attention. It plays a central role in states of consciousness like alertness and sleep.

Which structures are part of the reticular formation?

The reticular formation (an inner core of gray matter found in the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata) of the pontine tegmentum contains multiple cell groups that influence motor function. It also contains the nuclei of several cranial nerves.

What is the reticular formation?

The reticular formation is a phylogenetically primitive network of small neurons extending throughout the brainstem and into the spinal cord. It has a diverse input; its descending connexions are mostly from the cerebral cortex, cerebellum and red nuclei.

What other structures are near the reticular formation?

The reticular (from the Latin reticulum, meaning net) formation is a far-reaching network of neurons extending from the spinal cord to the thalamus, with connections to the medulla oblongata, midbrain (mesencephalon), pons, and diencephalon.

Which structure does not contain any parts of the reticular formation?

The facial nerve nucleus, which is not included in the reticular formation, is shown in (d). Its neurons are all of similar size and appearance and are more densely packed than those in the gigantocellular and parvocellular reticular nuclei (compare b, c, d).

What is reticular structure?

How is reticular formation formed?

There is a profuse blood supply to the reticular formation due to the diffuse and expansive location of the network of brainstem nuclei and neurons. Blood supply to the brainstem, and thus, to the reticular formation, originates from the vertebrobasilar system or posterior circulation of the brain.

What is part of reticular formation?

Structure and Function. The reticular formation is made up of a net-like structure of various brainstem nuclei and neurons and covers an expansive portion of the brainstem, beginning in the mesencephalon, extending caudally through the medulla oblongata, and projecting into the superior cervical spinal cord segments.

What is the reticular formation primarily responsible for?

The reticular formation was an essential part of the brain responsible for everyday actions like walking and sleeping. The Ktarian game activated the Human reticular formation by increasing synaptic activity.

What does reticular formation do in the brain?

Structure, Function, and Development of the Nervous System. In addition, the reticular formation contains neuronal circuits responsible for regulation of respiration, for cardiovascular responses to blood pressure and oxygen level modulations, as well as for coordination of swallowing and other oromotor functions.

What does stimulation of the reticular formation result in?

Electric stimulation of the medial part of the medulla oblongata ’s reticular formation in anesthetized and decerebrated cats and monkeys results in complete cessation of movements caused by reflex action and by stimulation of the motor areas of the cerebral cortex.

What does reticular formation mean?

Definition of reticular formation. : a mass of nerve cells and fibers situated primarily in the brain stem that plays an important role in controlling autonomic functions (such as respiration), reflexive movement, posture and balance, and consciousness and the sleep-wake cycle.