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The reticular activating system is the name given to part of the brain (the reticular formation and its connections) believed to be the centre of arousal and motivation in animals (including humans). It is situated at the core of the brain stem between the myelencephalon (medulla oblongata) and metencephalon (midbrain).
It is involved with the circadian rhythm; damage can lead to permanent coma. It is thought to be the area affected by many psychotropic drugs. General anaesthetics work through their effect on the reticular formation.
Fibers from the reticular formation are also vital in controlling respiration, cardiac rhythms, and other essential functions.
The reticular activating system has received attention from neuroscientists interested in various pathological conditions affecting behaviour, such as Alzheimer's Disease. More recently, results of research on the area has prompted extrapolations from the data into various areas such as motivational programmes (for example, Getting Things Done) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, despite the rapid recent increase in knowledge of the structure and function of the brain, assumptions about brain function related to real world events made without specific evidence should be treated with immense caution.
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