Cerebellum Anatomy

Question 1

Vermis and hemispheres

Answer 1

Vermis - strip of tissue down midline

Hemispheres - tissue lateral to vermis

Question 2

Folia (folium) and sulci (sulcus)

Answer 2

Grooves and ridges

Question 3

Gray and white matter

Answer 3

Gray matter - cortical and subcortical (forms nuclei)

White matter - arbor vitae = branching structure

Question 4

Lobes of cerebellum

Answer 4

Rostral, caudal, flocculonodular (nodulus refers to midline bump, flocculus refers to wings)

Question 5

Primary fissure

Answer 5

Separates rostral and caudal lobes of cerebellum

Question 6

Caudolateral fissure

Answer 6

Separates caudal and flocculonodular lobes of cerebellum

Question 7

Cerebellar nuclei (3 pairs)

Answer 7

• deeply embedded in white matter under cortex
  a) fastigial - midline
  b) interpositus - “positioned in b/w”
  c) dentate - most lateral

Question 8

Phylogenetic classification of lobes

Answer 8

• Flocculonodular lobe = archicerebellum (ancient)
• rostral lobe = paleocerebellum (old)
• caudal lobe = neocerebellum (new)

Question 9

Function of cerebellum

Answer 9

Proper muscle response (contraction) at appropriate time with correct force

Question 10

3 histological layers

Answer 10

• molecular - outside
• Purkinje - lined up on surface of cerebellum
• granular - inside

Question 11

3 fiber types

Answer 11

• climbing - from olivary complex to molecular layer to Purkinje dendrites
• mossy = pontocerebellar - widespread origin, brainstem and cord to granule cells
• parallel - from granule cells to Purkinje cells

Question 12

Cerebellar pathway from UMN to LMN

Answer 12

Brainstem -> red nucleus -> rubrospinal tract -> skeletal m. LMN

Question 13

Cerebellum afferents (3)

Answer 13

1) spinocerebellar/vestibulocerebellar - proprioception
- spino - General proprioception
- vestibulo - special proprioception
2) olivocerebellar tract - extrapyramidal motor information (climbing fibers)
3) pontocerebellar tract - pyramidal motor information (mossy fibers)

Question 14

Cerebellum efferents from Purkinje cells (3)

Answer 14

• to deep cerebellar nuclei
• deep cerebellar nuclei send fibers to UMN nuclei in brainstem
• fibers travel through ROSTRAL cerebellar peduncle to reach brainstem nuclei (middle and caudal - afferent)

Question 15

Archicerebellum = flocculonodular lobe = vestibulocerebellum

Answer 15

Equilibrium and conjugate eye movements

Question 16

Paleocerebellum = rostral lobe = spinocerebellum

Answer 16

Muscle tone, posture, and stereotyped (unconscious) movement -> extrapyramidal motor system

Question 17

Neocerebellum = caudal lobe = pontocerebellum

Answer 17

Voluntary planned movement and highly skilled movement -> pyramidal motor system

Question 18

Cerebellar dz signs

Answer 18

Usually ipsilateral, problems with rate/range/direction/force of movement (dysmetria = inappropriate response to movement), broad based stance, lack of coordination, nystagmus/strabismus/head tilt due to vestibular connections