Question

List the brain structures involved in initiating and maintaining sleep and those involved in waking and arousal; include their functions.400-500 words please thank you

Answer 1

Sleep is a process in which important physiological changes (shifts in brain activity, slowing of basic bodily function) are accompanied by major shifts in consciousness. Multiple brain organs are related to control sleep and wakefulnness. It is also true that several regions of the brain are responsible for the sleep and wakefulness. Hypothalamus is responsible for sleeping of an individual. There is a part in Hypothalamus called ventrolateral preoptic nucleus. There are many stimulating neurons that make us awake. But for sleep the signal from the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus is sent and causes sleep.

Sleep and wakefulness of an individual depends on the activity of the brain cells. There are some brain cells that cause sleep and some different brain cells cause wakefulness. These brain cells are not separately detected. It is assumed that some part of hypothalamus and brain stem cause wakefulness. Ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) connect directly to the many arousal-generating organs. From the recent studies it has been proved that different neurotransmitters are also responsible for sleep and wakefulness. To maintain the transition between REM and NREM sleep, various neurotransmitters are also responsible.

Cerebral blood flow causes sleep. Brain step is related to wakefulness and during sleep the brain stem remains inactive. The wave activity in the brain stem is very low during sleep. Along with the inactivity of the brain stem other related brain organs like precuneus, basal fore brain and basal ganglia also remain inactive. The signals are also relayed by the thalamic reticular nucleus to the thalamus and then it is transported to the brain's cortex. Brain waves then becomes slow and the individual falls in deep sleep. The upper part of the brain is found in the right side of the skull. It is called cerebral cortex. From this part the slow brain wave emits and it induces the sleep. On the other hand, the wakefulness is controlled by the mammalian part of the brain.