Cerebellum Flashcards
The cerebellum contains what percentage of all neurons in the brain?
50%
What percentage of brain volume does the cerebellum occupy?
10%
Does the cerebellum receive more inputs or outputs from axonal projections and to what degree?
40 times more inputs than outputs
What three tissue types is the cerebellum composed of?
Grey matter on the outside
White matter on the inside
Deep nuclei
What are the three major functional roles of the cerebellum?
Coordination of movement
Maintenance of equilibrium
Regulation of muscle tone
With which system does the cerebellum cooperate with to maintain equilibrium?
Vestibular system
How does the cerebellum modulate muscle activation to coordinate movement?
Via timing and pattern of muscle activation
What is the primary function of the cerebellum?
Ensure coordinated movement and detect the ‘error’ between intended and actual movement
How does the cerebellum influence movement via motor neurons?
Modifies activity patterns in upper motor neurons
The cerebellum project to the cortex via which brain structure/nucleus?
Thalamus - ventral lateral nucleus
What are the three lobes of the cerebellum?
Anterior
Posterior
Flocculonodular
What is the cerebellar cortex composed of in structure? How does it increase its surface area?
Surface grey matter with sulci and folia
Where is white matter found in the cerebellum?
Internally
Where are the cerebellar nuclei located?
Within the white matter
How many pairs of cerebellar nuclei are there?
3
What are the three pairs of cerebellar nuclei?
Fastigial
Interposed
Dentate
What are the three major regions of the cerebellar cortex?
Cerebrocerebellum
Spinocerebellum
Vestibulocerebellum
What are the 3 functional divisions of the cerebellum and their inputs?
Cerebrocerebellum - sensory and somatosensory inputs from spinal cord, control limb movements
Spinocerebellum - inputs from cortex, motor planning and coordination
Vestibulocerebellum - input from vestibular system, posture and balance
Which functional division is the only one to received direct input from spinal cord?
Spinocerebellum
What is the lateral part of the spinocerebellum important for in regards to movement?
Gross movement of distal muscles
What is the vermis aspect of the spinocerebellum important for?
Movement of proximal muscles
Where are topographic maps maintained in the cerebellum?
Spinocerebellum
Where do the inputs for the cerebrocerebellum originate?
Cerebral cortex
What is the cerebrocerebellum involved in, in regards to movement?
Motor planning and coordination, regulation of highly skilled movements