Cerebellar anatomy

Question 1

Function of cerebellum

Answer 1

Assists with equilibrium, posture and dynamic coordination and synchronisation of muscles

Stores motor plans and compares them with actual movements, it communicates accuracy back to the cortex

Question 2

What can injury to the cerebellum result in

Answer 2

ataxia (which is the inability to coordinate movement)

-May include postural and gait disturbance or decomposition of movements due less precise, uncontrolled and incorrectly timed movements.

May also include lack of appropriate force, slow and/or disjointed speech or repetitive eye movement

Question 3

What are the three main lobes of the cerebellum

Answer 3

Anterior lobe (if looking from behind someone, it is the highest one)

Posterior lobe (under the anterior lobe)

Flocculonodular lobe (tucked up by the brainstem)

Question 4

What separates the anterior lobe and the posterior lobe

Answer 4

Primary fissure

Question 5

What separates the flocculonodular lobe from the posterior lobe

Answer 5

Posterolateral fissure

Question 6

What is the indent that runs in middle of cerebellum

Answer 6

Vermis

Question 7

Function of the cerebellar peduncles

Answer 7

Act to attach the cerebellum to the brain stem, but also contain all the input and output fibres to and from the cerebellum

Question 8

which part of the brain stem is the superior part of the cerebellum going to send fibres to

Answer 8

Midbrain

Question 9

Which part of the brain stem is the middle part of the cerebellum going to send fibres to

Answer 9

Pons

Question 10

Which part of the brain stem is the inferior part of the cerebellum going to send fibres to

Answer 10

Medulla oblongata

Question 11

What are the 3 different layers of the cerebellar cortex

-What do they contain/do

Answer 11

Granular - inner,numerous granular cells that receive input

Purkinje- middle, single layer of cells, output to cerebellar nuclei (dentate, interposed, fastigial)

Molecular-outer, few interneurons, Purkinje dendrites, granular axons

Question 12

What are Mossy fibres

Answer 12

Each fibre innervates hundreds of granular cells. They bring sensory information from body to cerebellum

Question 13

Where do Mossy fibres originate and their course

Answer 13

In spinal cord and brain stem nuclei

Granular axons ascend, send out parallel fibres (molecular layer) and synapse with Purkinje fibres.

(Sending out parallel fibres means one single granular cell is able to synapse with many Purkinje cells)

Question 14

Where do Climbing fibres originate

Answer 14

olives

Question 15

What do climbing fibres connect with

Answer 15

Axons climb and wrap around Purkinje cell bodies and dendrites. Each Purkinje cell receives input from one climbing fibre

Question 16

What are the 3 nuclei of the cerebellum

Answer 16

Fastigial nuclei (most medial)

Interposed nuclei (in the middle. more lateral than festigial)

dentate nuclei (most lateral)