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Chapter 24
The Cerebellum
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Undergraduate 3
11/03/2015

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Term
cerebellar cortex
Definition
the external part of the cerebellum that is a thin, highly convoluted sheet of gray matter
Term
folia
Definition
the transversely-arranged folds of the cerebellar cortex
Term
The axons of what kinds of cells mediate all signaling out of the cerebellum?
Definition
Purkinje cells
Term
intracerebellar nuclei
Definition
masses of gray matter embedded in the white matter in the central parts of the cerebellum
Term
Do subdivisions of the cerebellum based on functional differences correspond closely with subdivisions based on afferent connections?
Definition
yes!
Term
What is the most primitive part of the cerebellum (the part occurring first during phylogeny)?
Definition
flocculonodular lobe
Term
nodulus
Definition
the midline of the flocculonodular lobe
Term
Why is the flocculonodular lobe also called the vestibulocerebellum?
Definition
it receives afferents primarily from the vestibular apparatus & the vestibular nuclei
Term
intermediate zone
Definition
the medialmost part of the cerebellar hemispheres that borders the vermis medially
Term
primary fissure
Definition
a deep, transversely oriented cleft that divides the corpus cerebelli
Term
2 lobes that the primary fissure divides the cerebellum into
Definition
1. anterior lobe (in front of the primary fissure)
2. posterior lobe (behind the primary fissure)
Term
neocerebellum
Definition
the midportion of the vermis & the hemispheres; younger part of the cerebellum
Term
Why are the anterior & posterior portions of the vermis & the adjoining parts of the intermediate zone of the corpus cerebelli also called the spinocerebellum?
Definition
they receive afferents primarily from the spinal cord
Term
Why are the hemispheres of the cerebellum also called the cerebrocerebellum or the pontocerebellum?
Definition
they receive their main input from the cerebral cortex
Term
Where do different parts of the cerebellum send their efferent connections?
Definition
the three main subdivisions of the cerebellum act on the parts of the CNS from which they receive their afferents; the vestibulocerebellum sends fibers mainly to the vestibular nuclei; the spinocerebellum influences the spinal cord; the cerebrocerebellum acts on the cerebral cortex
Term
primary vestibular afferents
Definition
bring sensory signals from the vestibular apparatus in the inner ear
Term
direct spinocerebellar tracts
Definition
pathways that go uninterrupted from the cord to the cerebellum
Term
Is there a group of direct spinocerebellar tracts that provides information about the level of activity among specific groups of spinal interneurons?
Definition
yes!
Term
Is there an indirect spinocerebellar tract that is synaptically interrupted in the inferior olive in the medulla?
Definition
yes!
Term
Where do spino-olivary fibers end?
Definition
in parts of the inferior olive that project to the spinocerebellum of the opposite side (like the direct spinocerebellar tracts)
Term
Are spinocerebellar pathways somatotopically organized?
Definition
yes!
Term
Where does the largest number of cerebellar afferent fibers arise from?
Definition
the pontine nuclei
Term
corticopontine tract
Definition
the afferents to the pontine nuclei that arise in the cerebral cortex
Term
2 places where most of the corticopontine fibers arise
Definition
1. MI
2. SI
Term
Are there substantial contributions to the corticopontine fibers from the supplementary motor cortex (SMA) & premotor cortex (PMA) & areas 5 & 7 of the posterior parietal cortex?
Definition
yes!
Term
Are there contributions to the corticopontine fibers from the prefrontal cortex?
Definition
yes!
Term
Do the pontine nuclei receive afferents from the visual cortex?
Definition
yes!
Term
What are connections from the visual cortex to the pontine nuclei important for?
Definition
execution of visually guided movements
Term
2 main limbic structures the pontine nuclei receive connections from
Definition
1. mammillary bodies
2. cingulate gyrus
Term
Is the corticopontine projection topographically organized?
Definition
yes! different cortical regions project to largely different parts of the pontine nuclei
Term
Do connections from the cerebral cortex to the pontine nuclei exhibit large or small divergence?
Definition
large (a small part of cortex influences small clusters of neurons in widespread parts of the pontine nuclei)
Term
Does the pontocerebellar tract show high or low convergence?
Definition
high
Term
Does the cerebellum compare copies of the motor commands sent from the cerebral cortex with the signals from the periphery providing information about the actual movement that was produced by the commands?
Definition
yes!
Term
Purkinje cell layer
Definition
the middle layer of the cerebellum that is dominated by the large Purkinje cells arranged in a monolayer
Term
granular layer
Definition
the deepest, lowermost layer of the cerebellum; packed with granule cells
Term
What direction to parallel fibers run in?
Definition
the direction of the long axis of the folia
Term
2 reasons why the Purkinje cell dendritic tree is unusual
Definition
1. it has an enormously rich branching pattern
2. the dendritic tree is compressed into one plane
Term
What do inhibitory interneurons in the cerebellar cortex do?
Definition
limit the activity of the Purkinje cells & increase the spatial precision of the incoming signals
Term
What neurotransmitter do Purkinje cells contain?
Definition
gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA); they inhibit their target cells
Term
What neurotransmitter do granule cells contain?
Definition
glutamate; they have an excitatory action on the Purkinje cells
Term
Where do climbing fibers come from as opposed to mossy fibers?
Definition
climbing = inferior olive

mossy = afferents from nearly all other nuclei
Term
mossy fibers
Definition
conduct signals rather rapidly & end in the granular layer, establishing synapses with the granule cell dendrites
Term
What effect do mossy fibers have on Purkinje cells?
Definition
they transmit action potentials with a high frequency to make the Purkinje cells fire simple spikes with a frequency of 50 to 100 per second
Term
What effect do climbing fibers have on Purkinje cells?
Definition
even a single action potential in a climbing fiber elicits a burst of action potentials in the Purkinje cells (complex spikes)
Term
Is the inferior olive important for motor control?
Definition
yes!
Term
The globus & emboliform nuclei (the two small nuclei of the cerebellum) in humans are referred to as what in animals?
Definition
the anterior & posterior interposed nuclei
Term
3 parts of longitudinal localizations
Definition
1. the vermis sends fibers to the fastigial nucleus
2. the intermediate zone to the interposed nuclei
3. the hemispheres to the dentate nucleus
Term
spontaneously active
Definition
when neurons fire without any obvious excitatory input
Term
Do cerebellar nuclear neurons have pacemaker properties?
Definition
yes! they have intrinsic properties that depolarize the membrane even in the absence of an excitatory input
Term
synchronous firing
Definition
firing of assembles of functionally related Purkinje cells; fundamental for cerebellar learning
Term
Where do fibers from the dentate nucleus leave the cerebellum?
Definition
through the superior cerebellar peduncle
Term
With diseases of the cerebellum, do symptoms occur on the ipsilateral or contralateral side of the body?
Definition
ipsilateral
Term
What is the main symptom of damage to the anterior lobe of the cerebellum?
Definition
a change of muscle tone; especially gait ataxia
Term
decomposed movements
Definition
instead of occurring simultaneously in several joints, movements take place in one joint at a time
Term
What do all elements of ataxia have in common?
Definition
a fundamental defect in control of the force & of the exact timing of the starting & stopping of movements
Term
What aspect of ataxia is especially due to the cerebellum?
Definition
the temporal aspect
Term
Do cerebellar lesions affect the ability to learn conditioned responses?
Definition
yes!
Term
Is the cerebellum important for the perception of rhythm?
Definition
yes!
Term
How does a cerebellar lesion affect attention?
Definition
the ability to rapidly shift the attention from one kind of stimulus to another is decreased
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