Pathology
Mass lesions in the brainstem cause severe alterations in level of consciousness (such as coma) because of their effects on the reticular formation. Bilateral damage to the reticular formation of the midbrain may lead to coma or death.
Lesions in the reticular formation have been found in the brains of people who have post-polio syndrome, and some imaging studies have shown abnormal activity in this area in people with chronic fatigue syndrome, indicating a high likelihood that damage to the reticular formation is responsible for the fatigue associated with these syndromes.
Read more about this topic: Reticular Formation
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