CEREBROCEREBELLUM

- Janani Iyer
 DEEP CEREBELLAR NUCLEI
• Deep gray matter present in the cerebellum

• All the fibers exiting the cerebellum pass through these nuclei

• Consists of 4 pair of deep cerebellar nuclei

1. Fastigial: Vestibulocerebellum (Medial most)

2. Globose: Spinocerebellum

3. Emboliform: Spinocerebellum

4. Dentate: Cerebrocerebellum (Lateral most)

Dentate Nuclei

• Part of the cerebrocerebellum

• Largest of the cerebellar nuclei

• Located lateral to the interposed nuclei (emboliform and globose)

• Receives input from cerebellar afferent and the lateral hemisphere

 CEREBELLAR PEDUNCLE

• Fiber bundles that carry input and output of the cerebellum

• Consists of 3 cerebellar peduncles:

1. Superior cerebellar peduncle: Superior cerebellar artery

2. Middle cerebellar peduncle: Superior cerebellar artery & anterior inferior

cerebellar artery

3. Inferior cerebellar peduncle: Anterior inferior cerebellar artery

Middle Cerebellar Peduncle

• Also called the Brachium Ponti's

• Largest peduncle

• Contains afferents from the pontine nucleus (Connects cerebellum to pons)

Superior Cerebellar Peduncle

• Contains efferent from the cerebellum to the red nucleus and thalamus
(Cerebellum to cortex)
 HISTOPATHOLOGY &
CONNECTIVITY

Cerebellar cortex consists of 3 layers of cells

1. Granule cell layer: innermost layer

2. Purkinje cell layer: middle layer

3. Molecular layer: outermost layer

Afferents: Climbing fibers or Mossy fibers

Efferents: Before exiting the cerebellum they all pass through the deep cerebellar
nuclei
 Originate in the pontine nucleus

Enter the cerebellum via the middle cerebellar peduncle and

give projections to the dentate nuclei (excitatory signals)

They then enter the cerebellar cortex and project to the

granule cells (excitatory signals)

The axons of the granule cells run upwards into the

molecular layers and bifurcate to form the parallel fibers.

Each parallel fiber synapse with hundreds of purkinje fibers

and carry excitatory impulse

The purkinje cells in turn inhibit the deep cerebellar nuclei

 CEREBELLUM: FUNCTIONAL
SUBDIVISIONS
There are 3 functional subdivisions of the cerebellum:

1. Archicerebellum (Vestibulocerebellum)

2. Paleocerebellum (Spinocerebellum)

3. Neocerebellum (Cerebrocerebellum/ Pontocerebellum)

 Vestibulocerebellum Spinocerebellum
• Connects cerebellum with the • Connects cerebellum with the
vestibular apparatus spinal cord
• Balance • Maintain tone
• Control of eye movements with • Co-ordination of movements of
respect to head movements trunk, head and proximal
limbs: VERMIS
• Co-ordination of movements of
distal limbs: PARAVERMIS
Cerebrocerebellum
• Connects cerebellum with the
cerebral cortex
• Does not consists of
descending pathways
• Planning of movements
• Motor learning (Highly skilled
movement execution)
• E.g. Speech
 CEREBROCEREBELLUM

• Most recent in evolutionary terms

• Largest functional subdivision of the human cerebellum

• Comprises of the lateral hemisphere and the dentate nucleus

• Functions:

1. Planning and timing of the movement

2. Motor learning (Highly skilled movement execution)

3. Cognitive functions
• Has extensive connections with the cerebral cortex

1. Afferent pathway: Cortico-ponto-cerebellar tract (Cortex-Pons-cerebellum)

2. Efferent pathway: Cerebello-thalamo-cortical tract & Dento-rubro-

thalamic tract (Cerebellum-Thalamus-Cortex OR Cerebellum-Rednucleus-
Thalamus-Cortex)
AFFERENT PATHWAYS
CORTICOPONTOCEREBELLAR PATHWAY

Information about the intended movement in the cortex

(Pre-motor, Primary motor, Somatosensory areas)

Pontine nucleus (decussate to opposite side)]

Enter cerebellum via the middle cerebellar peduncle

EFFERENT PATHWAYS
CEREBELLOTHALAMOCORTICAL PATHWAY

Information regarding the intended movement is processed in

the cerebellum and motor adaptations are generated

This output from the cerebellar cortex reach the dentate nuclei

The fibers leave the cerebellum via the superior cerebellar

peduncle

The fibers decussate to the opposite side before reaching the

thalamus

The output finally reaches the pre-motor, primary motor and

somatosensory areas of the cortex
EFFERENT PATHWAYS
DENTORUBROTHALAMIC PATHWAY

Information regarding the intended movement is processed in

the cerebellum and motor adaptations are generated

This output from the cerebellar cortex reach the dentate nuclei

The fibers leave the cerebellum via the superior cerebellar

peduncle

The fibers reach the red nucleus before they decussate to the
opposite side and reach the thalamus

The output finally reaches the pre-motor, primary motor and

somatosensory areas of the cortex
 FUNCTIONS
1. Speech is controlled by the superior paravermal region, intermediate cerebellar cortex and the dentate
nucleus

2. Control of corticomotor excitability information from the contralateral motor cortex, sensory cortex and
spinal cord is integrated, processed and relayed in the contralateral M1

3. Planning of sequential movements under the supervision of the dentate nucleus, the interposed nucleus,
the intermediate cerebellar cortex and the lateral cerebellar cortex

4. Smooth co-ordinated movements: after integrating the sensory information with the motor command

5. Conscious assessment of movement errors: If there is any discrepancies between the intended movement
and the actual movement, cerebellum detects the error and send corrective signals to adjust the ongoing
movement

6. Cognitive operations mainly controlled by the posterior lobe and cerebellar nuclei (mainly dentate)
 LESSIONS
1. Unwanted Saccadic signals

2. Ataxic dysarthria: difficulty in oral & written language planning

3. Deficits in predictive grip force control

4. Difficulty in predicting motor timing

5. Limb ataxia
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