Arousal NT

Question 1

Cholinergic nuclei

Answer 1

 Basal forebrain cholinergic nuclei (may or may not be considered part of RF)
 Pontine tegmental nuclei: laterodorsal and pedunculopontine tegmental nuclei

Question 2

Dopaminergic nuclei

Answer 2

 Ventral tegmental area
 Substantia nigra (pars compacta region) [Contiguous with VTA, not considered part of RF but of the basal ganglia due to difference in white matter connections]

Question 3

Noradrenergic nuclei
(norepinephrine)

Answer 3

 Locus coeruleus
 Related noradrenergic brainstem nuclei

Question 4

Serotonergic nuclei

Answer 4

 Dorsal raphe nucleus
 Median raphe nucleus

Question 5

Histaminergic nucleus

Answer 5

 Tuberomammillary nucleus of hypothalamus (may or may not be considered part of RF)

Question 6

Glutamatergic nuclei

Answer 6

 Brainstem nuclei: parabrachial nucleus, precoeruleus, and pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus
 Hypothalamic nuclei: supramammillary nucleus (may or may not be considered part of RF)
 Suprachiasmatic nuclei – circadian rhythms & sleep
 Also present brain-wide as the primary excitatory NT

Question 7

Orexinergic nucleus
(Orexin = Hypocretin)

Answer 7

 Lateral hypothalamus

Question 8

GABAergic nuclei

Answer 8

 Basal forebrain
 Ventrolateral preoptic area (VLPO) – sleep switch
 Also present brain-wide as the primary inhibitory NT

Question 9

Galanin-producing
neurons

Answer 9

 Ventrolateral preoptic area (VLPO) – sleep switch

Question 10

Melatonin-producing
neurons

Answer 10

 Pineal gland – circadian rhythms & sleep