“…An exhaustive review of the extensive connections of the midbrain reticular formation is beyond the scope of this study; nevertheless, some pertinent observations can be made. At least one previous tracing study appears to show a connection from the MRNm to the MRNp (Steininger et al, 1992), and several previous studies appear to show that the MRNm and/or MRNp connect to several interrelated regions, including the following: output to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) (Geisler and Zahm, 2005;Jhou et al, 2009) and substantia nigra (SN) (Rye et al, 1987;Jhou et al, 2009); input from the medial half of the retrorubral area (RR; termed the mesopontine rostromedial tegmental nucleus) (Jhou et al, 2009), VTA (Becksstead et al, 1979, SN (Beckstead et al, 1979), parasubthalamic nucleus (PSTN; to MRNp) (Goto and Swanson, 2004), dorsal raphe (Vertes, 1991), lateral habenula (LH) (Herkenham and Nauta, 1979; Araki et al, 1988;Steininger et al, 1992;Jhou et al, 2009), and all subdivisions of the anterior BST (especially from the BST rhomboid and dorsomedial nuclei) (Dong and Swanson, 2003, 2004, 2006a; bidirectional connections with the parabrachial nucleus (PB) (Saper and Loewy, 1980;Moga et al, 1990;Steininger et al, 1992) and subthalamic nucleus (mostly MRNp) (Kita and Kita, 2011).The above regions, each of which connect with the MRN, are indicated to have involvement in a very wide range of functions, including behavioral state control (dorsal raphe) (Nitz and Siegel, 1997;Millan, 2003;Waselus et al, 2011), parasympathetic control (PSTN) (Goto and Swanson, 2004;Ciriello et al, 2008), gustation and viscerosensation (PB, PSTN) (Spector, 1995;Goto and Swanson, 2004;Geerling and Loewy, 2008), thermogenesis (PB) (Ikemoto, 2007;Matsumoto and Hikosaka, 2007;Jhou et al, 2009;Ikemoto, 2010), and ingestive behavior and energy homeostasis (anterior BST) …”