Reticular nucleus

The reticular nucleus is a core area in the thalamus of the diencephalon .

It is counted among the so-called unspecific nuclei. This also includes the intralaminar core groups. Nonspecific thalamic nuclei have no specific efferents to the cerebral cortex ( cortex ) of the endbrain , so that an exact assignment to a certain cerebral cortical area is hardly possible.

A precise assignment of the reticular nucleus is, however, possible with areas of the central nervous system that are not located in the cerebrum : the reticular nucleus is controlled in an inhibitory manner by the reticular formation in the brain stem . With GABA he projects efferent inhibitory to the various “specific” thalamic nuclei. The ascending reticular activation system (ARAS) of the reticular formation leads through an undirected inhibition of the reticular nucleus to a disinhibition of the specific thalamic nuclei, which activates the cortex with their exciting efferents. As a result, the reticular nucleus plays an important role in regulating directed attention and in controlling the state of sleep and wakefulness .

The reticular nucleus is involved in the seizure process of epileptic seizures , which are accompanied by brief loss of consciousness (absenteeism).

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• Martin Trepel: Neuroanatomy. Structure and function. , 4th edition. Elsevier, Urban & Fischer Verlag, Munich and Jena 2008, ISBN 978-3-437-41298-1 .