Cerebellum

Question 1

brain structure that is responsible for the integration of sensory perception and motor output

Answer 1

cerebellum

Question 2

situated on the ponto-medullary junction, this part of the cerebellum receives vestibular signals; lesions here cause deficits in visual tracking and oculmotor control

Answer 2

flocculonodular lobe

Question 3

name the 3 functional divisions of the cerebellum, and what each is responsible for

Answer 3

vermis: tone, posture and executive function of trunk
paravermis: tone, postue and exec function of limbs
lateral hemispheres: (mostly) timing of body movements, balance, and also higher functions like memory and language

Question 4

input from this brainstem nucleus projects to the cerebellum via these special climbing fibers, whose main function is to generate error signals

Answer 4

inferior olivary nucleus

Question 5

these nuclei in the basis pontis convey the motor plan to the cerebellum from the cortex

Answer 5

deep pontine nuclei

Question 6

all spinocerebellar fibers enter the cerebellum as what type of fibers?

Answer 6

mossy fibers

Question 7

the inferior olivary complex receives signals from what two sources of input?

Answer 7

contralateral spino-olivary tract (projecting from VSCT)

ipsilateral red nucleus

Question 8

heavily myelinated band surrounding the inferior olive that is formed by the rubro-olivary fibers in the central tegmental tract

Answer 8

olivary amiculum

Question 9

what are the two ways that vestibular inputs get into the cerebellum?

Answer 9

1. relay from the vestibular nuclei through the ICP ipsilaterally
2. directly into the ICP (monosynaptic pathway)

Question 10

the cerebellum receives these ipsilateral inputs regarding muscle tone, via the inferior peduncle

Answer 10

reticuar formation inputs

Question 11

receives all corticopontine fibers (14 million!) and sends mossy fiber projections relaying motor plan into the contralateral MCP

Answer 11

deep pontine nuclei

Question 12

all precerebellar mossy fibers terminate on cells in which layer of the cerebellum?

Answer 12

granule cell layer

Question 13

type of cerebellar cell that receives climbing fiber inputs from the inferior olivary complex

Answer 13

purkinje cell

Question 14

True or false: deep cerebellar nuclei receive only mossy fiber input.

Answer 14

False. They receive both mossy and climbing fiber input

Question 15

True or false: purkinje cells receive both mossy and climbing fiber input

Answer 15

True. They receive climbing fibers directly and mossy fibers indirectly (via branching granule cells)

Question 16

This structure is the major output for the cerebellum

Answer 16

deep cerebellar nuclei

Question 17

these cells provide inhibitory feedback to granule cells

Answer 17

golgi cells

Question 18

most numerous neuron in the brain, with t-shaped axons known as parallel fibers that go into the superficial molecular layer of the cerebellum to form synapses with purkinje cells

Answer 18

granule cells

Question 19

True or false: parallel fibers of granule cells make stronger synapses with Purkinje cell dendrite than do climbing fibers

Answer 19

False. Parallel fibers make relatively weaker excitatory (glutamatergic) synapses with spines in the Purkinje cell dendrite, whereas climbing fibers provide very powerful excitatory input to the proximal dendrites and cell soma.

Question 20

True or false: some Purkinje cells directly target vestibular nuclei via ICP

Answer 20

True. Purkinje cells also target the deep cerebellar nuclei to regulate its firing.

Question 21

the mnemonic “don’t eat greasy food” corresponds to what?

Answer 21

the 4 deep cerebellar nuclei from lateral to medial:
Dentate nucleus
Emboliform nucleus
Globose nucleus
Fastigial nucleus

Question 22

what is the most common clinical presentation of a cerebellar deficit?

Answer 22

course tremors upon movement

Question 23

blood supply to the cerebellum comes from what arteries?

Answer 23

PICA, AICA, and the superior cerebellar artery

Question 24

True or false: all cerebellar syndromes cause ipsilateral signs.

Answer 24

True

Question 25

Lesions to the cerebellar midline cause what kind of primary deficit?

Answer 25

truncal ataxia (drunken sailor gait)

Question 26

Paravermal lesions in the cerebellum cause what kind of primary deficit?

Answer 26

limb ataxia

Question 27

_____ lesions of the cerebellum cause deficits in speech, learning, and detecting errors in performance.

Answer 27

Hemisphere