Cerebellum

Question 1

What may Cerebellar injury result in? (6) And describe ataxia and dysmetria

Answer 1

• Dysdiadochokinesia
• Ataxic gait + loss of coordination of motor movement (asynergia)
• Nystagmus (abnormal eye movement)
• Intention tremor (finger-nose test will elicit this, as well as dysmetria (past pointing)
• Slurred speech
• Hypotonia - dec muscle tone

Ataxia

• gait disorder
• difficult in coordination
• seen under influence of alcohol

Dysmetria

• misjudging the distance to a target
• e.g. finger to nose test we’d see overshooting
• tremor would be seen too

Question 2

Function of cerebellum

Answer 2

(1. ) voluntary movement
(2. ) balance and equilibrium
(3. ) muscle tone and postural adjustments
(4. ) motor planning

Question 3

Describe anterior and posterior structures of the cerebellum

Answer 3

(1. ) Posterior/superior surface = Vermis, anterior and posterior lobes separated by primary fissure
(2. ) Anterior/inferior surface = Cerebellar peduncles, nodule (midline) and more laterally flocculus. Tonsils are found near the nodule.

Question 4

Describe the connections of the cerebellum (tracts)

Answer 4

(1. ) Corticopontocerebellar tract
- Motor cortex -> pons -> cerebrocerebellum
- middle CP

(2. ) Vestibulocerebellar tract
- receives visual and vestibular info from the semicircular canal that goes to the flocculusnodular lobe
- inferior CP

(3. ) Spinocerebellar tract
- Proprioceptive and sensory info from the body
- Lesions will present with ipsilateral loss of muscle coordination
- Superior CP (VST) and Inferior CP (DST)