The brainstem reticular formation is the archaic core of ascending and descending
pathways connecting the brain with spinal cord. After the pioneer description of
the activating role of the ascending reticular activating system by Moruzzi and
Magoun in 1949, an increasing number of studies have contributed to disclose
the multifaceted roles of this brain area. In fact, the brainstem reticular formation
sub-serves a variety of brain activities such as the modulation of the sleep-waking
cycle, the level of arousal and attention, the drive for novelty seeking behaviors and
mood. Meanwhile, descending pathways play a key role in posture modulation,
extrapyramidal movements, and autonomic functions such as breathing and blood
pressure. Moreover, both descending and ascending fibers of the reticular formation
are critical in gating the sensory inputs and play a critical role in pain modulation
and gaze control.
All these activities are impaired when a damage affects critical nuclei of the reticular
formation. Remarkably, in neurodegenerative diseases involving reticular nuclei, the
rich collaterals interconnecting reticular isodendritic neurons represent a gateway
for disease spreading placing the role of the reticular nuclei as a pivot in a variety
of brain disorders.
The present Research Topic is an updated collection of recent studies, which contribute
to define the systematic anatomy of the reticular formation, its physiological and
pharmacological features, as well as its involvement in neurodegenerative disorders
and neuroprotection.