reticular activating system

noun

Medical Definition of reticular activating system

: a part of the reticular formation that extends from the brain stem to the midbrain and thalamus with connections distributed throughout the cerebral cortex and that controls the degree of activity of the central nervous system (as in maintaining sleep and wakefulness and in making transitions between the two states)

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reticular

reticular activating system

reticular cell

Cite this Entry

“Reticular activating system.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/reticular%20activating%20system. Accessed 26 May. 2022.

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