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Concept

Raphe nuclei

A detailed illustration of the raphe nuclei, showing a thin column of serotonin-producing neurons running up the midline of the brainstem, with molecular structures and pathways extending outward.

A thin column of serotonin-producing neurons running up the midline of the brainstem, named for the Greek word for seam. The raphe sends slow, diffuse projections to nearly every region of the forebrain, modulating mood, appetite, sleep and pain perception. Almost all the serotonin acting on the brain is made here, even though most of the body's total serotonin lives in the gut.

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