網狀活化系統 (RAS) 中英對照(網頁翻譯英翻中)

瑪麗‧麥科恩博士，教育學博士


網狀活化系統 (RAS)網狀活化系統位於腦幹，在大腦功能中發揮關鍵作用。當嬰兒通過產道時，透過頭部的壓迫和運動，它被激活，使新生兒做好從妊娠期間的睡眠狀態過渡到子宮外更加清醒和警覺的狀態的準備。它可以讓嬰兒了解周圍環境、處理感官訊息並與外界接觸。

但等等，還有更多！ RAS 參與大腦中的許多過程，包括：

• 幫助調節我們一生中的睡眠模式與睡眠-覺醒轉變
• 保持一定的意識水平並提高腦電波活動來做到這一點
• 幫助介導從放鬆的清醒狀態（θ 波和 α 波）到高度注意力時期（β 波）的過渡
• 參與姿勢控制
• 激活丘腦進行感覺處理
• 參與戰鬥或逃跑反射
• 充當感官訊息的過濾器
• 與前庭系統相互作用以保持平衡
• 釋放神經傳導物質，如多巴胺、血清素、乙醯膽鹼、正腎上腺素
• 對前額葉皮質有調節作用，前額葉皮質是注意力和執行功能的所在地
• 對大腦發炎有保護作用
• 幫助調節動機

RAS 的一個有趣功能是過濾傳入的訊息，並在重要時將大腦喚醒至清醒狀態。這是我在網路上讀到的一個很好的例子。對住在機場附近有新生兒的夫婦進行了研究。父母可以在飛機起飛或降落的噪音中安然入睡，但如果隔壁房間傳來嬰兒的聲音，母親就會被吵醒。這是什麼原因造成的？ RAS 起到了過濾器的作用，阻擋了對她來說不重要的噪音。迷人。

我們的大腦部分依靠神經傳導物質運作。我們的大腦中有許多多巴胺、GABA 和其他神經傳導物質的受體。丘腦深入參與聽覺和視覺處理，有許多 GABA 受體。多巴胺受體位於中樞神經系統的各個區域，尤其是在海馬體，即長期記憶的所在地。多巴胺與記憶、注意力、一般認知（思考、學習和處理）、衝動控制、睡眠和動機有關。因此，RAS 活性不足會導致多巴胺和其他神經傳導物質水平降低。 ADD 藥物，如哌醋甲酯，透過增加多巴胺在大腦中停留的時間來發揮作用。

RAS 活性低下，無論是由於剖腹產還是其他原因，都會對兒童（或成人）集中註意力和注意力、處理感官信息、定期睡眠、有效處理信息和處理信息的能力產生重大影響。 RAS 活性低下的兒童可能會面臨以下困難：

• 焦點和注意力
• 工作記憶
• 感覺處理（聽覺、視覺、本體感覺/觸覺和前庭）
• 身體自我調節
• 情緒自我調節
• 處理速度
• 學習，尤其是讀書
• 接受性和表達性語言
• 平衡
• 睡覺
• 動力不足

孩子出生後，他們的發展里程碑透過原始反射模式實現，繼續刺激 RAS 保持活躍。玩耍、跳躍、搖擺和攀爬等體育活動，以及日常環境中的經歷，不斷刺激 RAS 完成其工作。

那麼，如果兒童（或成人）出現這些症狀，你該怎麼辦？老實說，沒有快速解決辦法，但 RAS 可以透過多種方式啟動。

1. 最重要的一點是：確保他們的反射模式成熟且完整。遠不止一些節目宣傳的「五巨頭」。在出生過程中，有很多很多的反射被激活或部分整合，包括雞鳴反射、巴布金掌紋反射、TLR、ATNR、覓食、吸吮等。腦和新皮質的連結。
2. 本體感受輸入激活 RAS。本體感覺是第一個發展的感覺，並透過產道的壓迫而完全「開啟」。我們有七種類型的本體感受器，它們為我們的大腦提供大量有關我們身體的資訊。本體感受輸入可以是擁抱擠壓（來自 MNRI）、站在振動板上（這非常有效）、加重毯子、粗暴玩耍、擁抱、按摩等。
3. 咀嚼！咀嚼會活化三叉神經，進而活化 RAS。研究表明，咀嚼透過對 RAS 的作用，可以提高認知處理速度、警覺性、注意力並縮短反應時間。
4. 前庭輸入。前庭系統或平衡系統與 RAS 具有協同關係。平衡活性活化 RAS，而 RAS 調節前庭系統。聽覺和視覺系統都透過第八腦神經和前庭眼反射與前庭系統交織在一起。

與合格的從業者或團隊合作來解決這些問題可能會給那些在這些問題上掙扎的人帶來巨大的改變。如果您想談論如何幫助您的孩子，請聯絡[email protected]。我在俄勒岡州克拉克馬斯的辦公室與人們遠距合作。

參考
艾倫美聯社、史密斯美聯社 (2012)。 口香糖和任務時間對警覺性和注意力的影響。 營養。神經科學。  15、176-185。 10.1179/1476830512y.0000000009

De Cicco V、Tramonti Fantozzi MP、Cataldo E、Barresi M、Bruschini L、Faraguna U、Manzoni D。 。前神經解剖學。 2018 年 1 月 8 日；11:130。 doi：10.3389/fnana.2017.00130。電話號碼：29358907； PMCID：PMC5766640。

加西亞-裡爾，E.，編輯。 （2015）。醒來和網狀激活系統。 健康與疾病。



Hirano Y.、Obata T.、Takahashi H.、Tachibana A.、Kuroiwa D.、Takahashi T. 等人 (2013)。 咀嚼對認知處理速度的影響。 大腦認知。  81、376–381。 10.1016/j.bandc.2012.12.002

鮑爾斯，D.（2021）。強大的前庭系統：平衡及超越。梅德布里奇。www.medbridge.com/blog/2021/7

Tucha O.、Mecklinger L.、Maier K.、Hammerl M.、Lange KW (2004)。 嚼口香糖對健康受試者的注意力有不同的影響。 食慾 42, 327–329。 ​

The Reticular Activating System (RAS)The Reticular Activating System, located in the brainstem, plays a pivotal role in brain function. Activated as the baby passes through the birth canal via compression and movement of the head, it readies the newborn to transition from the sleep-like state it has been in during gestation to a more awake and alert state outside the womb. It allows the baby to be aware of its surroundings, process sensory information, and engage with the outside world.

But wait, there's more! The RAS is involved in many processes in the brain, including:

• Helps regulate sleep patterns and the sleep-wake transition throughout our lives
  
• Maintains a level of consciousness and raises brainwave activity to do so
  
• Helps mediate transition from relaxed wakefulness (theta and alpha waves) to periods of high attention (beta waves)
  
• Is involved in postural control
  
• Activates the thalamus for sensory processing
  
• Is involved in the fight-or-flight reflex
  
• Acts as a filter for sensory information
  
• Interacts with the vestibular system for balance
  
• Releases neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, norepinephrine
  
• Has a modulating effect on the prefrontal cortex, the home of attention and executive function
  
• Has a protective effect against brain inflammation
  
• Helps regulate motivation
  

An interesting function of the RAS is to filter incoming information and arouse the brain to an awake state if its important. Here's a great example I read on the web. A study was done of couples with newborns who lived near airports. The parents would sleep soundly through the noise of an airplane taking off or landing, but the mother would wake if her infant made a sound from the next room. What accounts for this? The RAS acted as a filter to block out the noise that was unimportant to her. Fascinating.

Our brains partially run on neurotransmitters. We have many receptors in our brain for dopamine, GABA and other neurotransmitters. The thalamus, which is deeply involved in auditory and visual processing, has many GABA receptors. Dopamine receptors are located in various areas of the central nervous system, most notably in the hippocampus, the home of long-term memory. Dopamine is associated with memory, attention, general cognition (thinking, learning, and processing), impulse control, sleep, and motivation. So, an underactive RAS can result in low dopamine and other neurotransmitters. ADD medications, like methylphenidate, work by increasing the time dopamine stays in the brain.

An underactive RAS, whether that is from a C-section delivery or other cause, can have a significant impact on a child's (or adult's ability) to focus and attend, to process sensory information, to sleep regularly, to process information efficiently, and more. Children with an underactive RAS may struggle with

• Focus and attention
  
• Working memory
  
• Sensory processing (auditory, visual, proprioceptive/tactile, and vestibular)
  
• Physical Self-regulation
  
• Emotional Self-regulation
  
• Processing Speed
  
• Learning, especially reading
  
• Receptive and Expressive Language
  
• Balance
  
• Sleep
  
• Low motivation
  

After children are born, their developmental milestones, enabled through primitive reflex patterns, continue to stimulate the RAS to stay active. Playing, physical activities like jumping, rocking, and climbing, along with experiences in their everyday environment continue to stimulate the RAS to do its job.

So what should you do if a child (or adult) presents with these symptoms? There is no quick fix, to be honest, but the RAS can be activated in various ways.

1. The most important one: make sure their reflex patterns are mature and integrated. There are far more than the "big five" that some programs promote. There are many, many reflexes that are activated or partially integrated during the birth process, including the crowing reflex, Babkin Palmomental, TLR, ATNR, rooting, sucking, etc. These reflexes will help activate the RAS and build connections to the midbrain and neocortex.
   
2. Proprioceptive input activates the RAS. Proprioception is the first sense to develop and is "turned on" fully from the compression in the birth canal. We have seven types of proprioceptors that give our brains a tremendous amount of information about our bodies. Proprioceptive input could be embracing squeezes (from MNRI), standing on a vibration plate (this is very effective), weighted blankets, rough play, big hugs, massage, etc.
   
3. Chewing! Chewing activates the trigeminal nerve which, in turn, activates the RAS. Research has shown that chewing, via its action on the RAS, can improve cognitive processing speed, alertness, attention and improve reaction times.
   
4. Vestibular input. The vestibular, or balance, system has a synergistic relationship with the RAS. Balance activities activate the RAS, and the RAS regulates the vestibular system. Both the auditory and visual systems are intertwined with the vestibular system through the 8th cranial nerve and the vestibular-ocular reflex.
   

Working with a qualified practitioner or team to address these concerns could make a world of difference for someone struggling with these issues. If you would like to talk about how to help your child, please reach out at [email protected]. I work with people remotely and at my office in Clackamas, Oregon.

References
Allen A. P., Smith A. P. (2012). Effects of chewing gum and time-on-task on alertness and attention. Nutr. Neurosci. 15, 176–185. 10.1179/1476830512y.0000000009

De Cicco V, Tramonti Fantozzi MP, Cataldo E, Barresi M, Bruschini L, Faraguna U, Manzoni D. Trigeminal, Visceral and Vestibular Inputs May Improve Cognitive Functions by Acting through the Locus Coeruleus and the Ascending Reticular Activating System: A New Hypothesis. Front Neuroanat. 2018 Jan 8;11:130. doi: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00130. PMID: 29358907; PMCID: PMC5766640.

Garcia-Rill, E., ed. (2015). Waking and the reticular activating system. Health and Disease.



Hirano Y., Obata T., Takahashi H., Tachibana A., Kuroiwa D., Takahashi T., et al.. (2013). Effects of chewing on cognitive processing speed. Brain Cogn. 81, 376–381. 10.1016/j.bandc.2012.12.002

Powers, D. (2021). The mighty vestibular system: Balance and beyond. Medbridge. www.medbridge.com/blog/2021/7

Tucha O., Mecklinger L., Maier K., Hammerl M., Lange K. W. (2004). Chewing gum differentially affects aspects of attention in healthy subjects. Appetite 42, 327–329.