Anatomy of Cerebellum and Color Code

Important

Relevant Connections Doctors Notes

Notes/Extra explanation
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Objectives
At the end of the lecture, students should:
✓ Describe the External features of the cerebellum (lobes, fissures).
✓ Describe briefly the Internal structure of the cerebellum.
✓ List the name of Cerebellar Nuclei.
✓ Relate the Anatomical to the Functional Subdivisions of the
cerebellum.
✓ Describe the Important connections of each subdivision.
✓ Describe briefly the Main Effects in case of lesion of the cerebellum.
Cerebellum
Playlist
o Origin: from Hindbrain.
o Position: lies behind Pons & Medulla Separated from them by Fourth ventricle.
o Connections: to the brainstem by Inferior, Middle & Superior Cerebellar Peduncles.
(medulla) (pons) (midbrain)

Extra
Cerebellum
External Features
o It consists of two Cerebellar Hemispheres
joined in midline by the Vermis.
o Its surface is highly convoluted forming
Folia (like gyri), separated by Fissures (like sulci).

Anatomical Subdivision
1. Anterior lobe: in front of primary fissure, on the
superior surface.
2. Posterior (middle) lobe: behind primary fissure
(Between Primary & Secondary/posterolateral fissures).
3. Flocculonodular lobe: in front of secondary
(Posterolateral) fissure, on the inferior surface . Extra
Cerebellum
Anatomical Subdivision

Primary
Fissure

Superior Surface

Posterolateral =
Secondary
Fissure

Anterroinferior Surface
Cerebellum
Constituents (Internal Structure and Nuclei of Cerebellum)
Outer grey matter: Inner white matter: Deeply seated nuclei in white matter:
cerebellar cortex cerebellar medulla from medial to lateral:
• Fastigial nucleus: smallest one
• Globose nucleus.
• Emboliform nucleus.
• Dentate nucleus: largest one.

Extra
Cerebellum
Cerebellar Cortex
The cerebellar cortex is divided into 3 layers:
1. Outer molecular layer 2. Intermediate Purkinje cell layer 3. Inner granular layer

Extra
 Cerebellum
Climbing fibres:
Cerebellar Medulla from inferior olivary nucleus, relay to purkinje cells

Afferent fibers:
Fibers coming into the cerebellum
They are of two types:
mossy and climbing

Extra

Mossy fibres: rest of fibres:

1. From vestibular nuclei
2. From spinal cord Finally all afferent fibers passing
3. From pons through the medulla relay to purkinje
They relay to granule cells which in turn relay to purkinje cells. cells in the cortex.
Cerebellum
Cerebellar Medulla
o Axons of Purkinje Cells are the only axons to leave
the cortex to medulla:
1. The great majority of axons do not leave cerebellum
& end in deep cerebellar nuclei, specially Dentate
nucleus.
2. Some of axons leave cerebellum as efferent fibres. Dendato-rubro-thalamic

Efferent Fibres:
o Most of efferent fibres are axons of deep cerebellar nuclei.
o Main Efferents go to:
1. Vestibular nuclei (cerebello-vestibular tract).
2. Red nucleus (Dendato-rubro-thalamic tract).
3. Ventral lateral nucleus of thalamus (Dendato-thalamic). Extra
Cerebellum
Functional Subdivisions
Cerebellum is divided according to function into 3 parts:
1. Archicerebellum 2. Paleocerebellum 3. Neocerebellum
Vestibular Part of cerebellum: Spinal Part of cerebellum: Cerebral Part of cerebellum:
Flocculonodular lobe. Vermis & Paravermis Rest of Cerebellum.
Cerebellum SCP = superior cerebellar peduncle
MCP = middle cerebellar peduncle
Functional Subdivisions ICP = inferior cerebellar peduncle

Archicerebellum Paleocerebellum Neocerebellum

Nuclei Related Fastigial Globose & Emboliform Dentate
Afferents from Vestibular nuclei from spinal cord from Pons
(Vestibulocerebellar fibres), (dorsal spinocerebellar (Pontocerebellar fibres)
(through ICP) tracts through ICP & (through MCP)
ventral spinocerebellar
tract through SCP)
Efferents cortical (purkinje cell) Fibres to globose & embliform to Red nucleus but mostly to
project : to Fastigial nucleus, nuclei which project to Ventral Lateral Nucleus of
which projects to vestibular red nucleus Thalamus
nuclei (through ICP) + to (through SCP) (through SCP)
Reticular formation then to motor cortex
Function 1. controls body Balance controls posture & coordination of voluntary
(via vestibulospinal & muscle tone movements
reticulospinal tracts). (via Rubrospinal tract). (via descending corticospinal
2. Control of eye movement & corticobulbar tracts or
(via VO vestibulo-ocular reflex) rubrospinal tract).
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Archicerebellum Paleocerebellum Neocerebellum

Purkinge cells of Purkinge cells of rest of

Purkinge cells of vermis & paravermis cerebellum
flocculonodular lobe
Dentate nucleus

ICP Globose & emboliform

Fastigeal nucleus Red nucleus &
nuclei
ICP MCP Ventral lateral
SCP nucleus
ICP SCP of thalamus

Spinal cord Red nucleus Pons Motor cortex

Vestibular nuclei
POSTURE COORDINATION
& MUSCLE OF VOLUNTARY
BALANCE TONE MOVEMENTS
Cerebellum
Cerebellar Lesions

• MIDLINE LESION: Loss of postural control.

• UNILATERAL LESION: “Cerebellar ataxia”
causes ipsilateral:
1. Incoordination of arm: intention tremors
(on performing voluntary movements)
2. Incoordination of leg: unsteady gait
3. Incoordination of eye movements:
nystagmus
4. Slowness of speech: dysarthria (difficulty
of speech)
Extra
 Summary
o Anatomically, the cerebellum is divided into:
anterior, posterior & flocculonodular lobes.
o Developmentally & functionally, it is divided into:
archi- paleo- & neocerebellum.
1. Archicerebellum (flocculonodular lobe) is the oldest part of cerebellum, related to fastigial
nucleus, connected to vestibular nuclei & concerning for control of body balance.
2. Paleocerebellum (vermis & paravermis) is related to globose & emboliform nuclei,
connected to spinal cord & red nucleus & concerned with regulation of posture & muscle
tone.
3. Neocerebellum (most of human cerebellum) is related to dentate nucleus, connected to
pons, thalamus. Its final destination is to motor cortex. It is concerned with coordination of
voluntary movements.
o Cerebellar lesions lead to ipsilateral incoordination (ataxia).
 Characteristics Cerebellum
Origin From hindbrain

Position Lies behind the pons and medulla, separated from them by 4th ventricle

External structures Consists of two cerebellar Its surface is highly convoluted forming folia, separated by
hemispheres joined in the midline by fissures
vermis

Internal structures Outer grey matter: cerebellar cortex Deep seated nuclei in white matter:
Inner white matter: cerebellar medulla (from medial to lateral)
1. Fastigial nnucles
2. Globose nucleus
3. Emboliform nucleus
4. Dentate nucleus

Anatomical subdivisions Anterior lobe: In front of primary Posterior (middle) lobe: Between Flocculonodular
fissure primary and secondary (postero- lobe: In front of
lateral) fissures secondary fissure
 Characteristics Cerebellum
Functional subdivisions Archicerebellum: Paleocerebellum: Neocerebellum:
Fastigial nucleus relation Globose and emboliform nuclei Dentate nucleus relation
relation
Afferent: from vestibular nuclei Afferent: from pons
(vesttibulocerebellar fibers) through Afferent: from spinal cord (ventral (pontocerebellar tract) through MCP
ICP and dorsal spinocerebellar tracts
through ICP and SCP respectively) Efferent: to red nucleus but
Efferent: cortical (purkinje cell) mostly to ventral lateral nucleus of
fibers project to fastigial which Efferent: to globose and thalamus through SCP then to
project to vestibular nuclei + emboliform nuclei which projects motor cortex
reticular formation to red nucleus (through SCP)
Function: Coordination of
Function: Control body balance Function: Control posture and voluntary movements
and eye movement muscle tone

Cerebellar lesions
MIDLINE LESION: Loss of postural control.
UNILATERAL LESION: “Cerebellar ataxia”
causes ipsilateral :
1. Incoordination of arm: intention tremors (on performing voluntary movements)
2. Incoordination of leg: unsteady gait
3. Incoordination of eye movements: nystagmus
4. Slowness of speech: dysarthria (difficulty of speech).
 Questions
1. ______ Climbing and mossy fibers relay to: ______ 5. Neocerebellum coordinate voluntary movements via:
A. Afferent, Inner granular layer A. Vestibulospinal & reticulospinaltracts
B. Efferent, Inner granular layer B. Descending corticospinal & corticobulbar tracts
C. Afferent, purkinje cells C. Descending corticospinal & reticulospinaltracts
D. Efferent, purkinje cells D. Vestibulospinal & corticobulbar tracts
Answer: C Answer: B

2. To which of the following do main efferents go to: 6. Archicerebellum controls:

A. Red nucleus A. Body Balance
B. Ventral posterior nucleus of thalamus B. Posture
C. Globose nucleus C. Memory and speech
D. Emboliform nucleus D. All of the above
Answer: A Answer: A

3. The nuclei related to paleocerebellum are: 7. Damage to the cerebellum does not cause disorders of:
A. Globose & Dentate A. Movement
B. Emboliform & Fastigial B. Equilibrium
C. Dentate & Fastigial C. Motor learning
D. Globose & Emboliform D. Posture
Answer: D Answer: C
8. List the effects of unilateral cerebellar lesion:
4. The cerebellum originates from the dorsal aspect of the Answer: intention tremors, unsteady gait, nystagmus, dysarthria.
brain stem and overlies the ______ ventricle.
A. Lateral ventricle 9. Name the three layers of the Cerebellum's cortex:
B. Midline ventricle Answer: Molecular, Purkinje, and Granular
C. Third ventricle
D. Fourth ventricle 10. Damage to the cerebellum results in effects on which side of the body?
Answer: D Answer: ipsilateral
Leaders: Members:
Nawaf AlKhudairy Allulu Alsulayhim
Jawaher Abanumy Deena AlNowiser
Lama AlTamimi
Reema Alshayie

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