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Reticular Activating System

Maria Bowie

Created on August 20, 2023

Learn about the reticular activating system's location and function and how it affects your brain, body, and interaction with the world.

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Transcript

You are about to learn about a tiny, powerful part of your brain called the reticular activating system (RAS). You will learn the following:
  • What the RAS is.
  • Where it is located.
  • What it does.
  • How it affects your brain, body, and the world around you.
You are your thoughts and beliefs. What does this statement mean to you?
Your brain filters information to create your reality based on anything you assign importance.
Go to another room and make a list of all the blue objects you see. You have one minute.
reticular ruh·ti·kyuh·lr
What is the reticular (ruh·ti·kyuh·lr) activating system (RAS)?
The (RAS) is a bundle of nerves that sits in your brainstem. It regulates behavior, alertness, stimulation, consciousness, and motivation.
Where is the reticular activating system located?
The brain has three main parts.

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The Brainstem

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The Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus is a part of the limbic system located deep inside the cerebrum. The hypothalamus controls many processes in your body, such as mood, hunger, thirst, and sleep patterns.

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Where is the reticular activating system located?
The RAS is located primarily within the brainstem and extends into the hypothalamus. It is a network of nerve fibers about two inches long and the size of your little finger. The hypothalamus is a relay station directing nerve impulses to the cerebrum.

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What does the reticular activating system do?

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The RAS
  • controls our alertness
  • helps us to focus on the things we assign importance
  • regulates our fight-flight response
  • controls how we perceive the world
  • serves as a gatekeeper of information.

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The RAS ensures the brain does not have to process more data than it can handle. This region of the brain is always active. Its role is to pay attention to some things while ignoring others so that you are not overwhelmed with sensory overload.

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If you have lived by a railroad track all of your life, you are unaffected when the train comes blaring its horn while you’re asleep at night. Your reticular activating system allows you to disregard the noise. It allows you to “get used to” something when it is a normal part of your environment. On the other hand, an unusual noise will jerk you out of a sound sleep.

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Your reticular activating system takes in information from your eyes and ears and determines whether you should pay attention to something. Your RAS filters out unnecessary sensory information. You can decide what you allow into your eyes and ears. Why is this important?

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JOIN

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