What’s the Reticular Formation and What Does it Do?

The reticular formation (RF) is a collection of nerve nuclei and fibers. In fact, it makes up the brainstem core (tegmentum) between the nuclei of the cranial nerves and the ascending and descending nerve pathways. All the nuclei of the trunk belong to the reticular formation, except some of the cranial nerves. Nevertheless, it seems that the reticular formation is key when it comes to the expansion of the spinal interneuron system. Experts aren’t completely sure what parts of the nervous system make up the reticular formation. However, they tend to think it extends from: The upper part of the…