Cerebellum Flashcards

1
Q

Name the 3 lobes of the cerebellum

A

Anterior
Posterior
Floculonodular lobe

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2
Q

What is the function of the penduncles in the cerebellum?

A

they connect the brainstem to the cerebellum

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3
Q

Identify where the cerebellum is located within the brain.

A

Dorsal (behind) the brainstem and below the occipital lobe

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4
Q

What is the function of the vermis in the cerebellum?

A

Divides the 2 cerebral hemispheres (right and left) of the cerebellum.

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5
Q

What are the two fissures of the cerebellum?

A

Primary (separating anterior and posterior lobes)

Horizontal

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6
Q

Describe where the flocculonodular lobe gets its name.

A

2 flocculi at either side of the vermis with the nodulus in the centre of the 2 flocculi

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7
Q

Name and describe the peduncles of the cerebellum

A

Superior cerebellar connects the midbrain to the cerebellum (info leaving cerebellum goes out through the superior peduncle)

Middle cerebellar connects the pons (sensory information coming in) to the cerebellum

Inferior cerebellar connects the medulla to the cerebellum. Is the main sensory input route from the body

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8
Q

Name the 4 deep nuclei of the cerebellum

A

Denate nuclei, Emboliform nucleus, Globose nucleus (interposed nucleus = emboliform nucleus+globose nucleus), Fastigial nuclei

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9
Q

What is the role of the deep nuclei?

A

Information relay centres
They receive both excitatory and inhibitory inputs from within the cerebellar cortex
Most output from the cerebellum originate from these nuclei

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10
Q

What is the main role of the cerebellum?

A

Subconscious control of smooth movement

Ensures movement is coordinated, well timed, spatially coherent and matches the motor plan

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11
Q

How does the cerebellum control smooth movement?

A

It compares what the motor plan is to what’s happening in the real world in real time
• Detect errors
• Send out corrections

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12
Q

What are afferent tracts?

Name all the afferent tracts of the cerebellum.

A

Relay incoming info from the body to the cerebellum

  1. Reticulocerebellar tract
  2. Corticopontinecerebellar tract
  3. Vestibulocerebellar tract
  4. Olivarycerebellar tract
  5. Anterior spinocerebellar and rostrospinocerebellar tract
  6. Posterior spinocerebellar and cuneocerebellar tract
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13
Q

Describe the reticulocerebellar tract

A

Origin: reticular formation and enters the cerebellum Via: superior peduncle

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14
Q

Describe the olivarycerebellar tract

A

Origin: olivary nuclei
Via: inferior peduncle (medulla)
Function: info related to unexpected movement e.g. loss of balance, reflex activity from spinal cord
Area of cerebellum: spinocerebellum (vermis), cerebrocerebellum (lateral zone)

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15
Q

What 4 tracts give information on where the body is in space? What are the other general functions of these tracts?

A

Anterior spinocerebellar tract, rostrospinocerebellar tract, posterior spinocerebellar tract and cuneocerebellar tract

They are direct as information comes directly from sensory organs through these tracts to the cerebellum

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16
Q

What peduncle do the anterior spinocerebellar tract, rostrospinocerebellar tract, posterior spinocerebellar tract and cuneocerebellar tract go through to reach the cerebellum?

A

Anterior spinocerebellar + rostrocerebellar tract go through superior peduncle

Posterior spinocerebellar + cuneocerebellar tract go through the inferior peduncle

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17
Q

Describe the vestibulocerebellar tract

A

Origin: Vestibular nuclei and (in brainstem)
Via: enters the cerebellum at the inferior peduncle.
Function: Give info on where the head is in relation to space, balance and gravity and influences head and eye movement relative to gaze
Area in cerebellum: goes to flocunodular lobe and vermis

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18
Q

Describe the corticopontinecerebellar tract.

A

Origin: motor cortex and pontine nuclei
Via: middle peduncle
Relays programming and execution of intended movement

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19
Q

Describe the cuneocerebellar tract

A

Comes from joint receptors and muscle spindles, reports on position, velocity and force of muscle contraction from the upper limb (via inferior peduncle)

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20
Q

Describe the posterior spinocerebellar tract

A

Brings subconscious proprioceptive info (from muscles, joints and skin mechanoreceptors) from the lower limb (via inferior peduncle)

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21
Q

Describe the rostrospinocerebellar tract

A

Brings info from upper limbs about ongoing spinal cord activity (is less specific)

22
Q

What part of the body does the anterior spinocerebellar relay info from?

A

Lower limbs

23
Q

Name all the efferent tracts from the cerebellum (8)

A
Cerebellothalamocortical tract
Globose-emboliform-rubro tract
Cerebelloreticular tract
Cerebellovestibular tract
Vestibulospinal tract
Corticospinal tract
Reticulospinal tract
Rubrospinal tract
24
Q

Describe the cerebellovesticular tract

A

Origin: fastigial nucleus
Via: inferior peduncle (as this is shortest path)
Ends: vestibular nuclei
Function: Control eye movement, Contributes to postural control via vestibulospinal tracts
(Goes from cerebellum to vestibular nuclei. Vestibulospinal tract arises from the vestibular nuclei - cerebellum can influence the output of the vestibulospinal tract via the vestibular nuclei)

25
Q

Describe globose-emboliform-rubro tract

A

Origin: Interpose nuclei (i.e. globose and emboliform nuclei).
Via: superior peduncle
Ends: red nucleus.
Functions: Influences rubrospinal tract

26
Q

Describe the cerebellothalamocortical tract

A

Origin: dentate nucleus
Via: superior peduncle and thalamus
Ends: cortex
Function: Updates output of motor cortex, updates the motor plan, indirectly influences the tract that comes from the cortex (i.e. the corticospinal tract)

27
Q

Describe the cerebellorecticular tract

A

Origin: fastigial nucleus
Via: superior peduncle
Ends: reticular formation
Function: Contributes to postural control via reticulospinal tract
(Reticulospinal tract arises form the reticular formation so the cerebellum can indirectly influence the reticulospinal tract)

28
Q

What nuclei in cerebellum does the cerebellothalamocortical tract leave?

A

Dentate nuclei

29
Q

What nuclei in cerebellum does the globose-emboliform-rubro tract leave?

A

Interpose nuclei (i.e. globose and emboliform nuclei).

30
Q

What nuclei in cerebellum does the cerebellovestibular tract leave?

A

All fibres come from fastigal nuclei

31
Q

What nuclei in cerebellum does the cerebelloreticular tract leave?

A

Fastigal nucleus. Some fibres come from globose-emboliform-rubro tract

32
Q

How does the cerebellum influence the corticospinal tracts? What are corticospinal tracts

A

There are no direct cerebellar-spinal tracts. The cerebellum indirectly influences the corticospinal tract via nuclei of the cerebellum
Tracts that start in the cortex and end in the spinal cord - they influence movement of limbs/trunk

33
Q

What is the overall function of the

a) lateral pathways
b) medial pathways

A

a) goal-directed movements

b) basic postural control

34
Q

Whats another name for the floculonodular lobe?

A

Vestibulocerebellum

35
Q

Name the 4 functional regions of the cerebellum

A

Floculonodular lobe
Medial zone: vermis/spinocerebellum
Intermediate zone: spinocerebellum
Lateral zone: cerebellum

36
Q

What causes disruption to the cerebellar functioning?

A

Cerebellar stroke, MS, tumour, head injury, spinocerebellar
conditions, Friedreich’s ataxia
Sensory ataxia
Vestibular ataxia

37
Q

Define ataxia

A

Greek for “lack of order” or “disorder”

Causes errors in direction, amplitude, force, Timing, Velocity

38
Q

What impairments does a disruption in cerebellar functioning cause?

A

Impairment of afferent input: insufficient data
Impaired processing : within cerebellum
Impairment of efferent output: incomplete output

39
Q

For what conditions is ataxia an umbrella term?

A

Dysmetria, dyssynergia, rebound phenomenon, hypotonia, intention tremor, dysdiadochokinesia, dysarthria, nystagmus

40
Q

Define dysarthria

A

Disorder of speech articulation

41
Q

Define nystagmus

A

Involuntary movement of the eyes, often up and down but also side to side and rarely rotary

42
Q

Define hypotonia

A

Reduced resistance to passive movement

43
Q

Define intention tremor

A

Oscillation about a joint
• Finger-nose test
• Postural tremor
• Head tremor

44
Q

Define dysdiadochokinesia

A

Difficulty with rapid alternating movement

45
Q

Define dysmetria

A
Inaccurate amplitude
• Misplaced
force
• Hypermetria
• Hypometria
46
Q

Define dyssynergia

A

Decomposition of movement

• Errors in the relative timing of segmental components of multi-joint movements

47
Q

Define rebound phenomenon

A

lack of check, problems with braking

48
Q

Name all clinical assessments

A
Romberg test
Rebound test
Rapid alternating movement
Hell-to-shin test
Finger-nose test
49
Q

Where in the cerebellum is the head and trunk of the somatotopic map located?
Where are the limb representations located?

A

Vermis

In the intermediate regions (at either side of the vermis)

50
Q

Describe the inputs/outputs of the floculonodular lobe

A

Inputs: from the vestibular nuclei
Via: vestibulocerebellar tract
Function: where the head is in space (as the head of the homunculus is here)