Reticular Formation

Definition

The reticular formation is a network of neurons located in the brainstem that plays key roles in arousal and attention as well as other basic bodily processes such as sleep-wake cycles and filtering incoming stimuli to discriminate irrelevant background stimuli.

Related terms

Brainstem:

The part of the brain continuous with the spinal cord and comprising the medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain.

Arousal:

A state of being awake and alert to one's environment.

Selective Attention:

The process by which individuals focus on specific features in the environment while ignoring others.