Editing Locus coeruleus (section)

{{Short description|Stress and panic response centre}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox brain
| Name            = Locus coeruleus
| Latin           = locus caeruleus ("blue place")
| Image           = Locus-coeruleus.gif
| Caption         = Locus coeruleus and its influence pathways
| Image2          = Gray709.png
| Caption2        = [[Rhomboid fossa]]. (Locus coeruleus not labeled, but is just lateral to the [[facial colliculus]], which is labeled at center left.)
| IsPartOf        =
| Components      =
| Artery          =
| Vein            =
| Acronym         =
}}

The '''locus coeruleus''' ({{IPAc-en|s|ɪ|ˈ|ɹ|uː|l|i|ə|s}}) ('''LC'''), also spelled '''locus caeruleus''' or '''locus ceruleus''',<ref>{{Cite web|title = locus coeruleus {{!}} a bluish area of the brain stem with many norepinephrine-containing neurons|url = http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/locus%2520coeruleus|website = www.merriam-webster.com|access-date = 2015-07-26}}</ref> is a [[Nucleus (neuroanatomy)|nucleus]] in the [[pons]] of the [[brainstem]] involved with [[physiology|physiological]] responses to [[stress (medicine)|stress]] and [[panic]].<ref>{{cite journal | pmid = 32954002 | pmc = 7479871 | issue = 4:2398212820930321 | title= The role of the locus coeruleus in the generation of pathological anxiety | date = July 21, 2020 | journal=Brain Neurosci. Adv. | vauthors=Morris LS, McCall JG, Charney DS, Murrough JW | volume = 4 | doi=10.1177/2398212820930321}}</ref> It is a part of the [[reticular activating system]] in the [[reticular formation]].<ref name="Khroud2022">{{cite web |last1=Khroud |first1=Navneet K. |last2=Reddy |first2=Vamsi |last3=Saadabadi |first3=Abdolreza |title=Neuroanatomy, Locus Coeruleus |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513270/ |website=StatPearls |publisher=StatPearls Publishing |access-date=22 January 2025 |date=2025}}</ref>

The locus coeruleus, which in Latin means "blue spot", is the principal site for brain synthesis of [[norepinephrine]] (noradrenaline). The locus coeruleus and the areas of the body affected by the norepinephrine it produces are described collectively as the '''locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system''' or '''LC-NA system'''.<ref name=Mehler>{{cite journal
| last       = Mehler
| first      = Mark F.
| author2    = Dominick P. Purpura
| date       = March 2009
| title      = Autism, fever, epigenetics and the locus coeruleus
| journal    = [[Brain Research Reviews]]
| volume     = 59
| issue      = 2
| pages      = 388–392
| pmid       = 19059284
| pmc        = 2668953
| doi        = 10.1016/j.brainresrev.2008.11.001
}}
</ref> Norepinephrine may also be released directly into the blood from the [[adrenal medulla]].