ANP 1106 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Thalamic Reticular Nucleus, Raphe Nuclei, Reticular Formation

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Anatomy and Physiology
• Course: ANP 1106
• Professor: Joanne Savory

Document Summary

Neural integration: voluntary action based on higher mental functions. At any time, specific neurons are involved in localized activities (motor control) and in cognition: is holistic and totally interconnected. Information for thought can be claimed from many locations in the cerebrum simultaneously: clinical consciousness is defined on a continuum that grades behaviour in response to stim- uli as: alertness, drowsiness (proceeds to sleep), stupor and coma. Functional brain systems are networks of neurons that work together but span relatively large distances in the brain, so they cannot be localized to specific regions. The reticular formation extends through the central core of the medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain, and is com- posed of loosely clustered neurons (white matter). These reticular neurons have far-flung axonal connections - projecting to the hypothalamus, thalamus, cerebral cortex, cerebellum and spinal cord, making these neurons ideal for governing the arousal of the brain as a whole.