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Brainstem

Brainstem

The brainstem, located inferior to the brain and superior to the spinal cord, serves as a bridge between the cerebrum and the spinal cord. It plays a vital role in relaying information and controlling critical life functions. It comprises three primary regions: the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.
The Midbrain
The midbrain is located beneath the diencephalon and connects the cerebrum with the lower parts of the brain. The cerebral peduncles are prominent midbrain structures that house the...

Brainstem: Control Centers of Medulla

Brainstem: Control Centers of Medulla

The medulla oblongata is a crucial part of the brainstem responsible for controlling various autonomic and involuntary functions. It contains several nuclei, including the olivary, cuneate, gracile, and solitary nuclei.
Olivary Nucleus
The olivary nucleus, or inferior olivary nucleus, is located within the ventrolateral part of the medulla oblongata. It is primarily involved in motor coordination and motor learning. The olivary nucleus receives input from the spinal cord, cerebellum, and motor...

Indirect Motor Pathways

Indirect Motor Pathways

The indirect motor or extrapyramidal pathways originate in the brainstem, the lower portion of the brain that connects it to the spinal cord. They consist of several distinct tracts, each with specialized functions. The four main tracts of the indirect motor pathways are the vestibulospinal tract, the reticulospinal tract, the tectospinal tract, and the rubrospinal tract.
The vestibulospinal tract originates in the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem. The vestibular system detects changes in...

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

The thalamus, often called “the gateway to the cerebral cortex,” is vital in processing and directing sensory and motor signals throughout the brain. Almost all inputs destined for the cerebral cortex, except for olfactory signals, are relayed through the thalamus. The thalamus is a sophisticated relay station, channeling information from various brain regions to the cerebral cortex, as well as a filter, prioritizing certain signals over others based on current physiological states or needs.

Hierarchy of Motor Control

Hierarchy of Motor Control

The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.

Action Potential

Action Potential

Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...

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Is there a brainstem substrate for action selection?

M D Humphries¹, K Gurney, T J Prescott

¹Adaptive Behaviour Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TP, UK. m.d.humphries@sheffield.ac.uk

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences

|April 13, 2007

Summary

The brainstem

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Computational Neuroscience
Animal Behavior

Background:

Action selection research has primarily focused on forebrain and midbrain structures like the basal ganglia.
Decerebrate and neonatal animal behaviors suggest a brainstem-based action selection system.
The medial reticular formation (mRF) is proposed as a key component of this brainstem system.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the medial reticular formation (mRF) as the neural substrate for action selection in the brainstem.
To model the mRF's internal architecture and its role in representing and coordinating actions.
To explore the integration of brainstem and basal ganglia action selection systems.

Main Methods:

Review of anatomical and functional evidence for the mRF as an action-selection system.

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Anatomical modeling to characterize the mRF's intrinsic circuitry as a small-world network.

Computational modeling to assess action representation within the mRF's neural clusters.

Main Results:

The mRF's organization supports its role in action selection.
The mRF's circuitry exhibits small-world network properties, potentially optimizing wiring.
Computational models indicate mRF clusters represent component actions, with coactivation driving coordinated behaviors.

Conclusions:

The medial reticular formation is a significant neural substrate for action selection in the brainstem.
The mRF's network structure facilitates efficient action representation and execution.
A hierarchical control system integrating basal ganglia and mRF may govern complex behaviors.