CAUDAL AND CEPHALIC INFLUENCES OF THE BRAIN STEM RETICULAR FORMATION

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Abstract
These recent studies have brought to the fore the important role of the reticular formation of the brain stem in regulating the background activity of the remainder of the central nervous system. It lies in parallel with long afferent and efferent neural systems, receives connections from both of them and exerts influences of its own at caudal and cephalic levels. Its caudal influences upon spinal levels contribute to optimum motor performance. Its cephalic influences upon the cerebral hemisphere provide the substrate of a state called wakefulness upon which most higher functions of the nervous system depend.