The reticular formation

Reticular Formation
Diffused mass of neurons and nerve fibers forming an illdefined meshwork of reticulum in the central portion of the
brainstem.

loosely arranged neuron cell bodies intermingled with bundles of

axons
Various nuclei:
1) Nuclei of medullary reticular formation
2) Nuclei of pontine reticular formation
3) Nuclei of midbrain reticular formation
It receives and integrates input from all regions of the
central nervous system and processes a great deal of neural
information.

THE RETICULAR FORMATION (cont.)

RF is formed of large number of neurons
present through the entire brainstem, it
extends upward to the level of the thalamus
and downward to be continuous with the
interneurons of the spinal cord.

Locations of the reticular and

vestibular nuclei in the brain stem

THE RETICULAR FORMATION (cont.)

Afferent projection
1. All sensory pathways (general or special

sensations)

Cerebral cortex
3. cerebellum
4. Basal ganglia(corpus striatum)
5. Vestibular nuclei, visual pathway
6. Thalamus, Subthalamus and
Hypothalamic nuclei
2.

THE RETICULAR FORMATION

(cont.)
Efferent projection:
1. Reticulobulbar and reticulospinal tracts
2. descending pathway to sympathetic
and parasympathetic outflow of ANS
3. cerebellum
4. Basal ganglia(corpus striatum)
5. Thalamus, Subthalamus and
Hypothalamic nuclei

Connections of Reticular
Formation

Fig. 1 -Afferent connections of

reticular formation

Fig. 2 Efferent
connections of reticular
formation

Functional divisions of Reticular

Formation
Ascending Reticular
Activating System - ARAS

thereticular activating
system (RAS)is an area of
thebrain (including the
reticular formation and its
connections) responsible
for regulating arousal
andsleep-wake transitions.

Receives fibers from the

sensory pathways via long
ascending spinal tracts.
Alertness, maintenance of
attention and wakefulness .
Emotional reactions,
important in learning
processes.
Tumor or lesion sleeping
sickness or coma.

Fig.3 Brain section.

Functions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Control of skeletal muscles

Control of somatic and visceral
sensations
Control of ANS
Influence the biologic clock
The reticular activating system
Control of endocrine nervous system

Vestibulospinal and reticulospinal tracts

descending in the spinal cord to excite
(solid lines) or inhibit (dashed lines) the
anterior motor neurons that control the
bodys axial musculature

 Damage

to RF persistent
unconsciousness and even coma

Sleep
Sleep is defined as changed state of
consciousness from which the person can
be aroused by sensory or other stimuli, it is
facilitated by reducing sensory input and
by fatigue.

Coma is unconsciousness from which

the person cannot be aroused.