For many centuries, the sleep wake cycle and how it is controlled remained a mystery to scientists all over the world. How do people come back to your state of wakefulness after falling into varying depths of sleep? You probably have never thought about it. Thanks to the efforts of brilliant physiologists, the process is now as clear as day. This event which can only be described as magical has now been established to be controlled by what is referred to as the reticular activating system or RAS.
The RAS was discovered in 1949. Anatomically, is composed of connections between the various nuclei found in the cortex and brainstem of mammals. These connections are in the form of reticular fibres hence the name. In the event that these area is injured resulting in damage of fibres bilaterally, the affected individuals will have problems with their sleep pattern. They are typically somnolent or lethargic.
A number of chemicals modulate the connections that exist in the system. They are termed neurotransmitters and are broadly classified into cholinergic and adrenergic. Based on the intended physiological response, these chemicals may work synergistically or competitively. A chemical called glutamate is the main cholinergic type that is involved in this process while adrenaline is the main adrenergic type. In general, an increase in the level of neurotransmitters causes increased alertness.
Mediating the sleep wake transition is the main role of RAS. The rate of activation varies depending on the depth of sleep; more activation occurs during deep sleep while less activation happens in light sleep. Another role of the RAS is to mediate states of increased attention. It has been shown that during tasks that require increased alertness, there is an increase in blood flow to the midbrain and other areas of the RAS.
RAS plays a key role in survival. When we are faced with large tons of sensory information, there is a need filter these information into the relevant and irrelevant. This information comes in varying sensory modalities including visual, auditory, tactile or gustatory. The brain is instructed to respond to only the important stimuli immediately and the irrelevant later.
Several factors are known to hinder the development of this important system. Preterm births are associated with a sub optimally functioning RAS. Many children delivered before their due dates have varying degrees of sleep disorders. The problem may be carried on into adulthood. Smoking during pregnancy is another factor that may disturb the system. Affected children are excessively aroused.
Taking control of your RAS will require that you train your thoughts regularly. If successfully done, one can greatly improve their leadership skills. Ensure that you always take care of your personal issues in time so as to free your thoughts. Another important skill is the creation of clear short term and long term goals.
Several diseases that affect the central nervous system are now believed to be closely related to a dysfunction of RAS. With advancing age, there is a general decline in RAS reactivity which is why a number of these illnesses have a relatively high incidence among the geriatric population. Diseases that may fall under this category include schizophrenia, post traumatic stress disorder, narcolepsy, attention deficit disorder and many others.
The RAS was discovered in 1949. Anatomically, is composed of connections between the various nuclei found in the cortex and brainstem of mammals. These connections are in the form of reticular fibres hence the name. In the event that these area is injured resulting in damage of fibres bilaterally, the affected individuals will have problems with their sleep pattern. They are typically somnolent or lethargic.
A number of chemicals modulate the connections that exist in the system. They are termed neurotransmitters and are broadly classified into cholinergic and adrenergic. Based on the intended physiological response, these chemicals may work synergistically or competitively. A chemical called glutamate is the main cholinergic type that is involved in this process while adrenaline is the main adrenergic type. In general, an increase in the level of neurotransmitters causes increased alertness.
Mediating the sleep wake transition is the main role of RAS. The rate of activation varies depending on the depth of sleep; more activation occurs during deep sleep while less activation happens in light sleep. Another role of the RAS is to mediate states of increased attention. It has been shown that during tasks that require increased alertness, there is an increase in blood flow to the midbrain and other areas of the RAS.
RAS plays a key role in survival. When we are faced with large tons of sensory information, there is a need filter these information into the relevant and irrelevant. This information comes in varying sensory modalities including visual, auditory, tactile or gustatory. The brain is instructed to respond to only the important stimuli immediately and the irrelevant later.
Several factors are known to hinder the development of this important system. Preterm births are associated with a sub optimally functioning RAS. Many children delivered before their due dates have varying degrees of sleep disorders. The problem may be carried on into adulthood. Smoking during pregnancy is another factor that may disturb the system. Affected children are excessively aroused.
Taking control of your RAS will require that you train your thoughts regularly. If successfully done, one can greatly improve their leadership skills. Ensure that you always take care of your personal issues in time so as to free your thoughts. Another important skill is the creation of clear short term and long term goals.
Several diseases that affect the central nervous system are now believed to be closely related to a dysfunction of RAS. With advancing age, there is a general decline in RAS reactivity which is why a number of these illnesses have a relatively high incidence among the geriatric population. Diseases that may fall under this category include schizophrenia, post traumatic stress disorder, narcolepsy, attention deficit disorder and many others.
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