Topic: RCB1

The reticular thalamic nucleus (RTn) is the only thalamic nucleus that does not project to the cerebral cortex. Instead, it regulates the activity of the rest of the thalamo-cortical neurons through GABAergic projections, so that it is essential in filtering information from the thalamus to the cerebral cortex. The firing mode of RTn neurons is closely linked to sleep-wake cycles; when RTn neurons produce bursts firing, they induce burst firing of thalamo-cortical neurons and slow-wave sleep occurs with concomitant loss of consciousness; when neurons fire tonically, self-awareness occurs. On t