RETICULAR ACTIVATING SYSTEM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does reticular activating system mean? 

• RETICULAR ACTIVATING SYSTEM (noun)
  The noun RETICULAR ACTIVATING SYSTEM has 1 sense:

1. the network in the reticular formation that serves an alerting or arousal function

  Familiarity information: RETICULAR ACTIVATING SYSTEM used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RETICULAR ACTIVATING SYSTEM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The network in the reticular formation that serves an alerting or arousal function

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

RAS; reticular activating system

Hypernyms ("reticular activating system" is a kind of...):

neural net; neural network (any network of neurons or nuclei that function together to perform some function in the body)

Holonyms ("reticular activating system" is a part of...):

reticular formation; RF (a complex neural network in the central core of the brainstem; monitors the state of the body and functions in such processes as arousal and sleep and attention and muscle tone)

 Context examples 

By modulating binding of the GABA inhibitory neurotransmitter to GABA-A receptors in the ascending reticular activating system, flurazepam blocks arousal of the cortical and limbic system, thereby exerting its sedative and hypnotic effect.

(Flurazepam, NCI Thesaurus)