Class Activities
The Reticular Formation
The reticular formation is a set of structures in the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. Part of the job of this formation is to maintain alertness but another role is to filter out trivial sensory information. You can demonstrate its function to students by asking them how many were aware of their chairs they are sitting in until you just mentioned it.
References: Beardsley, T. 1997. The Machinery of Thought. Sci. Am. 277 (2): 78-83.
Burt, A.M. 1993. Textbook of Neuroanatomy. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company.
Brain atlas website from the University of Washington
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