Dr. Curtis Cripe Details the Brain's Reticular System
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The reticular system is divided into two main areas. The first area is the ascending reticular activating system or ARAS. The second area is the descending reticular inhibiting system or DIRS. The ARAS promotes wakefulness and alertness, while the DIRS regulates sleep and relaxation.
The reticular system plays a key role in the brain's reward system. Dr. Curtis Cripe explains that it is responsible for releasing dopamine. Dopamine is a known neurotransmitter that is connected to pleasure and motivation. The dopamine release in the reward system makes eating, sex, and exercise pleasurable.
Dopamine, the neurotransmitter that drives us to achieve our goals and rewards behavior with pleasure, is a key player in substance abuse. It explains why certain drugs like cocaine and heroin can produce euphoria by overstimulating dopamine circuits in the brain; however, these intense feelings come at an immense cost beyond just physical health.
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Dopamine, the neurotransmitter that drives us to achieve our goals and rewards behavior with pleasure, is a key player in substance abuse. It explains why certain drugs like cocaine and heroin can produce euphoria by overstimulating dopamine circuits in the brain; however, these intense feelings come at an immense cost beyond just physical health.
The reticular system is also heavily involved in learning and memory. It is necessary for creating and forming new memories. It also helps with the consolidation of old ones.
This system is not without its issues, though. According to Dr. Curtis Cripe, common problems include sleep disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and addiction. Treatment for these conditions often aims to correct the underlying imbalance in the brain's neurotransmitters.
Specialists who research the reticular system are called neuroscientists. They use specialized tools and techniques to study the brain. These include positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Dr. Curtis Cripe adds that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is also used. NTL Group uses QEEG for evaluating the brain’s function under cognitive load.
Neuroscientists are constantly working to better understand the brain's many complex functions. By studying the reticular system, they hope to develop better treatments for conditions that affect the brain.
Learn more about NTL Group's research and development head Dr. Curtis Cripe and the work he does by clicking this link.
This system is not without its issues, though. According to Dr. Curtis Cripe, common problems include sleep disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and addiction. Treatment for these conditions often aims to correct the underlying imbalance in the brain's neurotransmitters.
Specialists who research the reticular system are called neuroscientists. They use specialized tools and techniques to study the brain. These include positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Dr. Curtis Cripe adds that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is also used. NTL Group uses QEEG for evaluating the brain’s function under cognitive load.
Neuroscientists are constantly working to better understand the brain's many complex functions. By studying the reticular system, they hope to develop better treatments for conditions that affect the brain.
Learn more about NTL Group's research and development head Dr. Curtis Cripe and the work he does by clicking this link.
