Reticular Formation ‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحیم‬

Physiology of Reticular Activating System:

 In the brainstem, there are specific groups of cell bodies of neurons that form various nuclei for
cranial nerves (cranial nerve nuclei), integration for motor and sensory activities (brainstem motor
nuclei, olivary nuclei, etc.) and relay nuclei for ascending or descending pathways.
 Excluding these specific cell groups, there are cell groups in the core of the brainstem that constitute
brainstem reticular formation.
 This reticular formation is formed by a diffuse system of neurons having widely branching axons.
 Characteristically, these neurons have very long dendrites and axons.
 They have long ascending branches projecting to the thalamus, hypothalamus and cortex and long
descending branches projecting to the spinal cord
Nuclear Column and Connections
 The neurons are organized into two columns: medial and lateral columns.
Medial Column
 Medial group of cells constitute gigantocellular part (large cell group) that contains the raphe nuclei
and central group of nuclei.
 They receive afferents from all sensory pathways, especially from spinoreticular tracts.
 Fibers from this part project upwards as the reticular activating system (RAS) .
 They project downward as the medial and lateral reticulospinal tracts.
Lateral Column
 Laterally placed is the parvocellular part containing small-celled nuclei.
 This part contributes to sleep-wakefulness
Functions of Reticular Formation
Control of Motor Activities
 Reticular formation gives rise to reticulospinal tracts (RSTs).
 RSTs are important components of medial system pathways that are involved in regulation of posture.
 Fibers of RST originate from the large-celled neurons of reticular formation.
 Motor cortex, basal ganglia and the cerebellum control posture by influencing the activity of RST.
 There are two RSTs: pontine and medullary.
Pontine RST:
 facilitates spinal stretch reflexes by exciting the extensor group of muscles (antigravity muscles), and,
therefore, important for maintaining posture.
Medullary RST:
 inhibits spinal motor neurons that innervate extensor group of muscles.
Control of Sensory Activities
 Many of the ascending sensory pathways provide their collaterals to reticular formation.
 Therefore, when a sensory stimulus is applied, it not only evokes conscious perception of the
sensation, but also by activating RAS, it makes the individual aware of the nature and other aspects of
the sensation.
 Especially for pain sensation, along with alertness for the sensation, there is simultaneous activation
of endogenous analgesia system.
 The neurons of raphe nucleus in reticular formation are activated by paleospinothalamic and
spinoreticulothalamic fibers.
 Consequently, activation of raphespinal pathway inhibits transmission of pain in the dorsalhorn of
spinal cord
Control of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Functions
 Cardiovascular and respiratory centers are located in the brainstem reticular formations.
Cardiovascular Centers
 The vasomotor center (VMC) located in the medullary reticular formation controls heart rate, cardiac
output and vascular tone.
 Therefore, VMC plays a critical role in the regulation of blood pressure.
 Cardioinhibitory centers also regulate heart functions and blood pressure
Respiratory Centers
 The inspiratory and expiratory groups of neurons are located in the central gigantocellular cells in
medulla.
 The pneumotaxic and apneustic centers are located in pontine reticular formation.
 All these centers control various aspects of respiration.
Control of Visceral Functions
 Visceral functions are controlled mainly by the hypothalamus.
 Reticular formation, through its extensive hypothalamic connections, controls visceral functions.
 Vomiting and swallowing reflexes are integrated in medullary reticular formation.
Sleep and Wakefulness
 Fibers projecting from reticular formation to the cortex via nonspecific thalamic nuclei maintain
wakefulness.
 Therefore, this neuronal system is called reticular activating system (RAS).
 Decreased activity of RAS induces sleep, and damage to RAS causes coma.
Components of RAS
 There are four major components of the reticular activating system (RAS):
Ascending Reticular Activating Neurons
 From central group of reticular nuclei (magnocellular part), ascending neurons project to the
intralaminar and midline nuclei of the thalamus (nonspecific nuclei).
 From these nonspecific thalamic nuclei, fibers Project to all parts of the cerebral cortex and limbic
system.
 Few fibers from reticular formation bypass thalamus and project directly to the cortex
• These neuronal projections form the major part of brainstem ascending reticular activating system,
which maintains arousal of the being.
• Increased activity in these projecting neurons causes excitation of cortical neurons and creates
alertness and wakeful state.
• Diminished activity in these systems induces sleep
Monoaminergic and Cholinergic Fibers
 Locus ceruleus is located in the reticular formation at the junction between pons and medulla.
• The noradrenaline-secreting neurons originate from locus ceruleus.
• Major monoaminergic and cholinergic systems of the brain are located in the reticular activating
system.
• These fibers are involved in integration of various sensory and behavioral activities
Fibers from Parvocellular Part
 Fibers originating from small-celled neurons located in lateral part of the brainstem reticular
formation (parvocellular part) are active only during the awakered state and silent during sleep.
 This indicates that they control sleep-wakefulness.
Serotonergic Neurons
 The serotonergic neurons originating from raphe nuclei project to all part of CNS.
• These neurons are active during deep sleep.
• This indicates that these neurons are involved in genesis of sleep.
• Histaminergic neurons projecting from hypothalamus to all parts of CNS play a major role in arousal.