Locus ceruleus, noradrenergic projections

The locus ceruleus is a structure located on the floor of the fourth ventricle in the rostral pons. It contains more than 50% of all noradrenergic neurons in the brain, and projects to almost all areas of the central nervous system. 

Six groups of cell bodies of noradrenergic neurons are clustered in the medulla oblongata, pons and midbrain. They are considered part of the reticular formation and extend from the spinal cord to the lateral pontine reticular formation. One of the best-studied of these groups is the locus ceruleus (Fig. 12-5), which has many ascending and descending projections from the pons. 

---