Exam 3 Week 12 pp 7-9 3 sections of cerebellum Flashcards
Vestibular afferents project to _____
cortex of vestibulocerebellum and to the fastigial nucleus through the inferior cerebellar peduncle
Where do primary vestibular afferents start from?
direct from ispilateral CN VIII
Where do secondary vestibular afferents start from?
from ipsilateral vestibular nuclei
Why do I care about vestibular afferents?
because they influence distribution of tone in limbs, trunk, neck, and extraocular eye muscles
How does the visual systems project to vestibulocerebellum?
indirectly to vestibulocerebellum through climbing fibers of the inferior olivary nucleus
Function of visual system input
Assists in regulating the vestibular ocular reflex (VOR)
What are the two places in the brain stem that receive outputs from the vestibulocerebellum?
- Vestibular nuclei
- From vestibular nuclei to influence extraocular motor neurons via MLF
- From vestibular nuclei to influence body and limb tone and responses via the vestibulospinal tracts
- –Reticular formation
- Descending fibers of reticulospinal tracts
- Ascending fibers to extraocular motor nuclei
Where does the vestibulocerebellum have outputs?
to the brainstem Vestibular nuclei
Purpose of the projections through the vestibular nuclei: (2)
- influence extraocular motor neurons via the medial longitudinal fasciculus
- play a role to influence body and limb tone and responses via the vestibulospinal tracts
Second location where vestibulocerebellum outputs to the brainstem end and why
-nuclei of the Reticular formation -These nuclei send both Descending fibers forming the reticulospinal tracts and Ascending fibers to extraocular motor nuclei
Functions of the vestibulocerebellum (Flocculonodular lobe): (3)
- Balance in sitting, standing & gait
- Plasticity of vestibulo-ocular reflex
- Nodule function related to sensitivity to motion sickness (ablated this makes subject immune to motion sickness
Nyanduk’s favorite animal
monkeys
major role of spinocerebellum
comparator -defined on interwebs as a device for comparing a measurable property or thing with a reference or standard. an electronic circuit for comparing two electrical signals. something used as a standard for comparison.
So what makes spinocerebellum a comparator? (3)
- Information about intended movement is sent to the cerebellum – efference copy, a copy of the outgoing command to move – Feed forward signal from inferior olive
- Patterns of peripheral proprioceptor discharge are also sent to the cerebellum - feedback
- Cerebellum constantly updates movement as it is evolving
Functions of Vermis (2)
- Movement coordination of axial & proximal limb musculature
- Probable regulation of postural muscle tone
Where do the inputs from vermis come from? (types of input)
Proprioception, Vision & Vestibular sensory systems
What happens if spinal proprioceptive input to vermis is damaged? (4)
Damage results in sensory ataxia:
- Ataxic symptoms without visual support
- Increased postural sway
- Difficulty in standing with narrow base of support and eyes closed (Romberg sign)
- Uncoordinated gait
How is body mapped on cerebellum?
somatotopically mapped on the cerebellum with separate somatopic maps on anterior and posterior lobes of cerebellum
How many homunculi are on the cerebellum?
two
How are homunculi distributed?
Two homunculi are inverted images of one another Neck & trunk are vermal & extremities paravermal
Afferent tracts of the Spinocerebellum (5)
- Dorsal spinocerebellar tract (DSCT)
- Cuneocerebellar tract (CCT)
- Ventral spinocerebellar tract (VSCT)
- Rostral spinocerebellar tract (RSCT)
- Trigeminocerebellar projections
Pathway of Dorsal spinocerebellar tract (DSCT)
- Arises from cells of Nucleus dorsalis (Clarke’s) in spinal segments T1 to L2 or L3
- Axons rise ipsilaterally in dorsal lateral funiculus to enter thru inferior peduncle -Axons end in areas representing LE & trunk in anterior & posterior lobes
Pathway of Ventral spinocerebellar tract (VSCT)
- Arises from nuclei scattered in based of dorsal horn -Axons decussate to rise in peripheral lateral funiculus just ventral to contralateral DSCT
- Axons ascend thru medulla & pons to decussate again and enter thru superior cerebellar peduncle
- Axons end in LE representation of anterior lobe and paramedian lobule
What type of activity do Ventral spinocerebellar tract (VSCT) and Dorsal spinocerebellar tract (DSCT) have in common?
phasic activity during gait stepping cycle
Section dorsal roots affects which tract during phasic activity
Dorsal spinocerebellar tract (DSCT) only
What happens to phasic gait cycle pattern if dorsal roots were cut
Ventral spinocerebellar tract continues its phasic gait cycle pattern
DSCT neurons of the Clarke’s column are driven by______
proprioceptive afferents – unconscious proprioception
VSCT cells at the base of the dorsal horn driven by__________
descending motor commands – efferent copy
Pathway of Cuneocerebellar tract (CCT)
- Primary afferents from upper extremity proprioceptors ascend in fasciculus cuneatus to end in accessory (lateral) cuneate nucleus (ACN) of caudal medulla
- CCT axons from ACN enter inferior cerebellar peduncle innervating areas representing UE
- CCT axons from ACN carry information from muscle spindles, GTOs & joints
- Cutaneous input enters cerebellum from neurons in main cuneate nucleus – providing proprioceptive input from hands and fingers