ANAT 321 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Locus Coeruleus, List Of Thalamic Nuclei, Raphe Nuclei

• School: McGill University
• Department: Anatomy & Cell Biology
• Course: ANAT 321
• Professor: David Ragsdale

Document Summary

Ascending arousal system: the consciousness requires the brainstem (ascending signals are required in order to maintain an awake state) In order to be awake, the cortex requires the active input of fibres coming up the brainstem, if they do not, the consciousness will shut off. Ex: stimulation of the reticular formation jolt cats awake, from this we are able to gauge where the ascending arousal system is. Neuromodulators: the diffuse release of neurotransmitters in the cortex to regulate sleep/wake cycles. Football shaped structure that sits underneath the cortex and acts as its gate keeper regulating the flow of information (filtering in and out) The empty space above the thalamus are the lateral. The thalamus is the floor for these lateral ventricles. Internal capsule: the fibre tract pathway responsible for connecting the cerebral cortex to the rest of the brain (part of the white matter: black bands this image stains the white matter dark.