Cerebellum & Brainstem Flashcards
Cerebellar Function
- “comparator” that compensates for error in movement by comparing intention with performance
- coordination of somatic motor activity (reg. muscle tone & equilibrium)
- cognition, emotion, affective processing
- sequencing incoming sensory patterns & detecting temporal changes in the sequence of sensory events
- anticipate & smooth out movements of trunk/limbs by slow feedback pathways (improve motor) & fast forward mech. that regulates second to second movements & keeps them on track
Vermis & Paravermian Control?
-axial musculature (neck, trunk)
Lateral Hemispheres of Cerebellum control?
-limbs (arms, legs)
Flocculonodular Lobe controls?
-maintaining balance
Lateral Hemispheres of Cerebellum project to what nuclei?
-dentate nuclei
The Paravermal Zones of Cerebellum project to what nuclei?
-globose & emboliform (interpositus nuclei)
The Vermis of Cerebellum projects to what nuclei?
-fastigial nuclei
Afferents & Efferents: Superior Cerebellar Peduncle
Afferents: Anterior Spinocerebellar Tract
Acoustic & Optic Information
Efferents: Dentatorubrothalamic Tract
Dentatothalamic Tract
Afferents & Efferents: Middle Cerebellar Peduncle
Afferents: Pontocerebellar Tract
Efferents: none
Afferents & Efferents: Inferior Cerebellar Peduncle
Afferents: Vestibulocerebellar Tract Olivocerebellar Tract Posterior Spinocerebellar Tract Efferents: Cerebellovestibular Tract Cerebelloolivary Tract
Dentatothalamic Tracts
-carry info from the lateral portions of the anterior & posterior cerebellar cortices to the thalamus & onto the contralateral motor cortex to coordinate movement in the limbs ipsilateral to the cerebellar hemisphere of origin
Cerebelloolivary Fibers
-carry info from the vermis & flocculonodular lobes through the EGF nuclei to the vestibular nuclei, the olivary nuclei, & the brainstem reticular formation
Cerebellar Cortex
-gray matter
-3 layers:
Molecular layer - Basket & Stellate cells
Purkinje Cell layer - Purkinje cells
Granule cell layer - Golgi & Granule Cells
-5 different neuron types
What are the only output neurons of the cerebellar cortex?
-Purkinje cells
What is the only direct imput to the Purkinje cells from outside the cerebelum?
-climbing fibers that have their origin in the olivary nuclei
Mossy Fibers
- imput to perkinje cells that first synapse in the cerebellar glomeruli (synapse with granule * golgi cell dendrites & with Golgi axon terminals)
- Granule cells then pass on info to Purkinje cell
Stellate & Basket Cells
-inhibitory effect on Purkinje cells
3 Functional Divisions of Cerebellum
- Vestibulocerebellum
- Spinocerebellum
- Cerebrocerebellum
Function of Vestibulocerebellum
-coordinate eye, head, neck movements & maintains balance
Function of Spinocerebellum
-coordinate trunk & proximal limb movements
Function of Cerebrocerebellum
- coordinate fine motor planning of limbs
- anticipates sensory consequences of movements
- cognitive memory of motor functions
(right controls right, left controls left)
Clinical Signs of Cerebellar Dysfunction
- unstable gait & stance with a tendency to fall, broad based gait “sailor’s gait”, reeling & drunken
- jerky/unsmooth movements, intentional tremor
- ataxia (dis-coordination): trunk or extremities
- dysmetria of movement: goal-directed movement can over or undershoot target
- eye-movement disorders: nystagmus, saccadic & smooth pursuit dysmetria
- speech disorders: ataxia dysarthria w/scanning speech, difficulty to maintain speech rhythm, intonation & correct articulation
Superior Colliculus
-functions in the control of reflex movements that orient the eyes, head, & neck in response to visual, auditory, & somatic stimuli
Periaqueductal Gray Matter
-functions in the processing of autonomic & limbic activities & modulation of nociception