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Glite Dictionary
RAS

RAS

1 9.0
Part of the brainstem that helps you stay awake and alert
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : RAS
  • The Ras plays a critical role in maintaining our alertness and overall wakefulness.
  • RAS characteristics

It's encoded in your Ras and your mind is now on the alert to spot things related to it.

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Examples

  • The reticular activating system, I call it the Ras for short.

  • The reticular activating system, I call it the Ras for short.

  • So what happens when the Ras encoding gene becomes mutated in cancer?

  • When stimulated, the Ras helps increase our levels of arousal and responsiveness.

  • Researchers study the Ras to understand how it influences sleep patterns and consciousness.

Synonyms

reticular activating system
vsRAS
  • Specialized
6.7

Part of the brain that helps keep you awake and alert

gives the same meaning but uses wakefulness and notes an abbreviation

Surface Forms

RAS singular
RASs plural

Etymology

RAS stands for the reticular activating system, and reticular comes from Latin reticulum meaning 'net', like a small 'network' of cells in the brain. So the RAS is like a brain 'net' that 'activates' your 'wakefulness' and keeps you alert.