<Tr> <Th> FMA </Th> <Td> 77719 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy (edit on Wikidata) </Td> </Tr> <P> The reticular formation is a set of interconnected nuclei that are located throughout the brainstem . The reticular formation is not anatomically well defined because it includes neurons located in diverse parts of the brain . The neurons of the reticular formation make up a complex set of networks in the core of the brainstem that stretch from the upper part of the midbrain to the lower part of the medulla oblongata . The reticular formation includes ascending pathways to the cortex in the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) and descending pathways to the spinal cord via the reticulospinal tracts of the descending reticular formation . </P> <P> Neurons of the reticular formation, particularly those of the ascending reticular activating system, play a crucial role in maintaining behavioral arousal and consciousness . The functions of the reticular formation are modulatory and premotor . The modulatory functions are primarily found in the rostral sector of the reticular formation and the premotor functions are localized in the neurons in more caudal regions . </P>

Where is the reticular formation located in the brain