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.
Connections within the RAS communicate by way of various chemicals. These chemicals are known as neurotransmitters and two main categories exist; cholinergic and adrenergic. It is common for these two types of chemicals to work in synergy or competition depending on the desired physiological response. The main cholinergic neurotransmitter is glutamate and the main adrenergic one is adrenaline.
Facilitating the sleep wake transition is thought to be the main role of RAS. The degree of activation is determined by the depth of sleep from which one has to wake up from; the deeper the sleep the greater the degree of activation and vice versa. Another important role is that of mediating increased levels of attention whenever such a need arises.
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.
A number of factors have been shown to hinder the development of this system. Preterm birth is a risk factor to a compromised RAS. A significant number of children born before their time have problems remaining alert and awake for a long period in their development. Smoking during pregnancy has also been shown to be a risk factor and is said to abnormally increase arousal.
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.
Connections within the RAS communicate by way of various chemicals. These chemicals are known as neurotransmitters and two main categories exist; cholinergic and adrenergic. It is common for these two types of chemicals to work in synergy or competition depending on the desired physiological response. The main cholinergic neurotransmitter is glutamate and the main adrenergic one is adrenaline.
Facilitating the sleep wake transition is thought to be the main role of RAS. The degree of activation is determined by the depth of sleep from which one has to wake up from; the deeper the sleep the greater the degree of activation and vice versa. Another important role is that of mediating increased levels of attention whenever such a need arises.
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.
A number of factors have been shown to hinder the development of this system. Preterm birth is a risk factor to a compromised RAS. A significant number of children born before their time have problems remaining alert and awake for a long period in their development. Smoking during pregnancy has also been shown to be a risk factor and is said to abnormally increase arousal.
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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