Jess is fast asleep. Her roommate, Crystal, is studying in the next room when their cat knocks a lamp off the bookshelf. Crystal jumps up from her desk, but Jess remains asleep. What brain structure is responsible for raising or lowering the thresholds of conscious awareness such that Crystal reacts to the stimulus while Jess does not?
A) The reticular formation
B) The substantia nigra
C) The medial parietal cortex
D) The corpus callosum

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The reticular formation is a network of neurons located in the brainstem that plays a crucial role in controlling arousal and consciousness. It helps regulate the transition from sleep to wakefulness, making it responsible for raising or lowering the thresholds of conscious awareness in response to stimuli, explaining why Crystal reacted to the noise while Jess remained asleep.

Jess Is Fast Asleep