Dr Sushil Kumar

It is a diffused mass of neurons and nerve fibers forming an ill-defined meshwork of reticulum in the central portion of the brainstem.

It is situated in the brainstem and extends downwards into spinal cord and upwards up to thalamus and subthalamus. ImportanceRF is absolutely essential for life because (1) Some RF neurons are clustered together forming centres of the brainstem nuclei and integrating centres. These include the cardiovascular, respiratory, swallowing and vomiting centres. (2) It receives and integrates information from all regions in the CNS and (3) Its neurons send axons to most regions of the brain and spinal cord, which indicates the influence of RF over other parts of CNS.

The external features of brain stem

1Mid brain

2Pons

3Medulla oblongata

Ventral surface of brain stem

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Nuclei of reticular formation

diencephalon

telencephalon

It is composed of various nuclei(more than 50) arranged in three groups: 1) Nuclei of medullary brain stem reticular formation 2) Nuclei of pontine reticular midbrain formation 3) Nuclei of midbrain reticular format

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1) Lateral reticular nucleus -lateral to inferior olivary nucleus 2) Ventral reticular nucleus 3) Gigantocellular reticular nucleus -dorsal to inf. olivary nucleus 4) Paramedian reticular nucleus -dorsal to inf. olivary nucleus 5) Parvocellular reticular nucleus - dorsal to spinal nucleus of fifth cranial nerve

1) Nucleus reticular pontis oralis situated above the motor nucleus of V nerve and extends into the midbrain. 2) Nucleus reticular pontis caudalis is below the motor nucleus of V nerve 3) Central tegmental reticular nucleus is in ventral part of tegmentum.

1) Red nucleus is placed between superior colliculus and hypothalamus. 2) Nucleus tegmenti pedunculopontine of tegmentum in midbrain 3) Nucleus cuneiformis

1.Optic pathway 2.Olfactory pathway 3. Auditory pathway 4.Taste pathway 5.Spinal and trigeminal pathway carrying touch sensation 6.Pathways for pain,temp,vibration and kinesthetic sensation 7.Cerebral cortex 8.Cerebellum 9.Corpus striatum 10.Thalamic nuclei.

Afferent connections: R F receives collaterals from almost all ascending pathways and from different parts of the brain.

R F sends fibers to the following parts of CNS 1.Cerebral cortex 2.Diencephalon-thalamus,hypothalamus and subthalamus 3.Midbrain-red nucleus,tectum and substantia nigra 4.Cerebellum 5.Spinal cord.

Based on the functions of RF it is divided into two systems, I. Ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) II. Descending reticular activating system

1) It is a complex polysynaptic pathway. 2) It extends from lower pons to the level of thalamus. 3) It contains the cell bodies and fibers of mainly cholinergic systems. 4) It receives afferent collaterals from the long somatic sensory pathways, trigeminal, olfactory, auditory and visual and visceral pathways. 5) It forms the nonspecific ascending pathway which is multisynaptic and relays to wide-spread areas of cerebral cortex and thus plays an important role in arousal function causing arousing consciousness and alertness without which sensory discrimination is not possible. 6) The specific ascending pathway is the classical sensory pathway with great speed going to primary receiving areas which help in sensory discrimination of all types of sensations.

7) RAS is also joined by some corticofugal fibers which are fibers coming from superior temporal gyrus and orbital surface of frontal lobe which descend and join the RAS. These together provide a pathway for arousal and alert states. It is through this pathway that intracortical events can initiate arousal and also alerting response to emotions and related psychic phenomenon that occurs in absence of any apparent external stimulus.

8) Some of the fibers of RAS relay in midline and intralaminar nuclei of thalamus and then pass on to the thalamic reticular nucleus where there is further relay. Then from this nucleus fibers are widely distributed to all parts of the cortex.this pathway contains the cell bodies and fibers of many adrenergic, noradrenergic and serotonergic systems. The RAS increases the excitability of cortical neurons and thus is concerned with electrical activity of the cortex-EEG.

It is controlled by feedback signals from cerebral cortex. Also an inhibitory system involving hypothalamus,intralaminar and anterior thalamic nuclei and medullary area at the level of tractus solitarius

1) Activity of RAS causes conscious state and is responsible for maintaining a state of wakefulness or alertness and this makes perception possible. Stimulation of midbrain RF produces wakefulness by generalized activation of the entire brain including cerebral cortex, thalamus ,basal ganglia and brainstem. It involves symp. stimulation and adrenaline release which stimulates midbrain RF. Thus it is responsible for sleep and wakefulness cycle as deactivation of RAS produces sleep and strong stimulation causes desynchronization of EEG and leads to wakefulness. Tumours or destruction of RAS produces coma or unconsciousness. The impact of head injury on ARAS also cause coma.

Any type of sensory impulse such as impulses of proprioception,pain,auditory, visual,taste and olfactory sensations cause sudden activation of ARAS producing arousal phenomenon. Even impulses of visceral sensations activate this system

2) It is responsible for electrical activity of cerebral cortex. 3) ARAS is also responsible for emotional reactions. 4) ARAS plays an important role in regulating learning processes and the development of conditioned reflexes.

Anaesthetics like ether and sedatives in high doses such as barbiturates produce unconsciousness by depressing conduction in the RAS. This is achieved by decreasing building up of EPSPS to the firing level of the postsynaptic neurons in multisynaptic pathways of RAS.

It includes RF of brainstem and spinal cord and the reticulospinal tracts thus formed. It modifies the activity of spinal motor neurons. Functionally it is divided into two , A) The descending inhibitory RF B) The descending facilitatory RF.

Located in ventromedial part of medulla -> the medullary reticular nuclei -> forming the medullary reticulospinal tract. This tract is inhibitory in nature and thus relaxes the antigravity muscles and opposes the pontine reticulospinal tract.

The medullary reticular nuclei transmit inhibitory signals to the same antigravity anterior motor neurons by way of a different tract, the medullary reticulospinal tract, located in the lateral column of the cord. The medullary reticular nuclei receive strong input collaterals from (1) the corticospinal tract, (2) the rubrospinal tract, and (3) other motor pathways. These normally activate the medullary reticular inhibitory system to counterbalance the excitatory signals from the pontine reticular system, so that under normal conditions, the body muscles are not abnormally tense.

1) It is responsible for smoothness and accuracy of voluntary movements. 2) It regulates the reflex movements. 3) It regulates muscle tone and also helps to maintain posture. 4) It also inhibits many autonomic functions like cardiac functions, BP, resp, GIT and body temp.

Includes pontine reticulospinal tract arising from pontine reticular nuclei present dorsally and extending towards midbrain. It also includes the vestibular nuclei and thus the vestibulospinal tracts. These strongly excite the antigravity muscles.

1) It facilitates the movements of the body and maintains the muscle tone. 2)Stimulation of this part causes exaggerated movements, it also excites the gamma motor neurons and also activates the extensor muscles. 3) It facilitates all the autonomic functions 4) It plays an important role in wakefulness and alertness by activating the ARAS.

Balanced activity between inhibitory and facilitatory RF is important for smooth and purposeful movements and for control of tone and posture. There is a considerable interaction between the ascending,descending and cerebellar reticular pathways and all three components function in controlling muscle activity.