Reticular Formation Flashcards
Median reticular formation nuclei, ascending and descending info
closest to mid
Raphe nuclei
Asc- Signals generated influence sleep
Des- descending form raphe spinal tract and are important for suppressing conscenscience awareness of pain
Medial column nuclei, ascending, descending
Gigantic-cellular nuc, Pontine reticular nuc and medullary reticular nuc
asc- to basal ganglia (motor control) and cortex (consciousness)
des- pontine and medullary groups
Lat column nuclei and function
Paravocellular reticular area
Important for all basic reflexes
What is the ascending reticular activating system
ascending pathway that sends nonspecific info to cerebral cortex (no signals=sleep)
What is the descending reticular system
Axon bundles leave the reticular formation and reach ventral horn of spinal cord to modulate autonomic motor function
Facilative and inhibitory descending system path
inhibitory- from pontine motor reticular nuc to IL medial reticulospinal tract
Facilitory- From medullary motor reticular nucleus via bilateral lateral reticulosponal tract
Overall functions of reticular formation
- Role in sleep, wakefulness, circadian rhythm
- selective attention
- muscle tine
- controls somatic/visceral sensations
- respiration
