Cerebellum

Functional Anatomy:
 Anatomically, the cerebellum consists of: anterior, posterior and
focculo-nodular lobes

 Physiologically, the cerebellum is divided into 3 parts:

Lobe Function Connection
Flocculonodular lobe
Vestibulo-cerebellum  Concerned with Equilibrium with Vestibular Nuclei
(Archi-cerebellum)
Spino-cerebellum
(Paleocerebellum)
 Concerned with Coordination
The intermediate zone of
of movement.
cerebellar hemispheres with AHCs
containing the vermis &
 Inhibitory to stretch reflex.
2-3 cm on each side of
the vermis.
Cerebro-cerebellum  Planning & programming of
(Neocerebellum) movement.
with Cerebral Cortex
The lateral zones of
cerebellar hemispheres  Facilitatory to stretch reflex.

Body is represented twice on spino-cerebellum; one in inverted position

on the anterior lobe and the other is in erect position on the posterior lobe.

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 Connections of Cerebellum:
The cerebellum has an external layer of gray matter which forms the cerebellar
cortex & inner white matter embedded in it 3 deep nuclei; dentate,
interpositus & fastigial.
The cerebellum is connected with other structures the superior, middle &
inferior cerebellar peduncles where the fibers enter or leave the cerebellum.

Afferent fibers to Cerebellum Efferent fibers from Cerebellum

Superior cerebellar peduncle Ventral spino-cerebellar tract. Dentato-thalamo-cortical tract.

Dentato-rubro-spinal tract.

Middle cerebellar peduncle Cortico-ponto-cerebellar tract. ----------

Dorsal spino-cerebellar tract.

Fibers to R.F of pons.
Inferior cerebellar peduncle Olivo-cerebellar tract.
Fibers to R.F of medulla.
Vestibulo- cerebellar tract.

Dentato-rubro-spinal tract is a DOUBLE CROSSING TRACT, so, each

cerebellar hemisphere coordinates the movements of the muscles which are
on the same side.

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 Functions of Cerebellum:
A- Functions of Cerebellum in Voluntary Movements:
1) Servo-comparator Function:
 Each lateral zone of cerebellar hemispheres (Neo-cerebellum) is
connected to the cerebral cortex of the opposite side by closed feedback
circuit "Cortico-ponto-dentato-thalamo-cortical" circuit.
 When the motor cortex sends a plan of movements to one muscle through
the "Pyramidal tract", it sends the same intended plan to cerebellum
through "Cortico-ponto-cerebellar" tract.
 The muscle responds to the cortical impulses by contractions while the
receptors in the muscle as muscle spindles respond by informing the
cerebellum about the actual performance of the muscle through the
"Spino-cerebellar" tracts.
 The cerebellum compares between the intended plan which received from
cortex & the actual performance of the muscle. If the performance is not
identical to the intended plan, the cerebellum sends corrective impulses to
the motor cortex through the "Dentato-thalamo-cortical" tract.

2) The Braking Effect of Cerebellum:

The cerebellum:
 Assesses the rate of movement.
 Calculates the time needed to reach the intended point.
 Transmits inhibitory impulses to the motor cortex to stop the
movement at the exact intended point.
3) The Damping Effect of Cerebellum:
 Essentially all movements having a momentum which leads to
overshooting & surpassing the intended point (pendular movement).
 The cerebellum sends impulses to stop the movement at the intended
point & preventing the overshoot.
 Damage of the cerebellum → overshooting of movements.

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 4) Planning & Timing Functions of Cerebellum:
 The cerebro-cerebllum (Neocerebellum):
 Receives impulses from the cortical association areas (the site of
ideas for voluntary movements).
 Sends impulses to the motor cortex to initiate movements.
 The cerebro-cerebllum (Neocerebellum) plans for the next movement
while the current movement is occurring.
 The cerebro-cerebllum (Neocerebellum) provides proper timing for
each movement.
 Lesion of the cerebro-cerebllum (Neocerebellum) → inability to
judge the movement in a given time.
B- Other Functions of Cerebellum:
1) Role of Cerebellum in Maintaining Equilibrium:
 The vestibulo-cerebellum maintains equilibrium through a feedback
circuit with the vestibular apparatus.
 During rapid motion, the vestibular apparatus sends impulses to
vestibular nuclei then vestibulo-cerebellum, which in turn sends impulses
to brain stem then to spinal cord through reticulospinal & vestibulospinal
tracts → maintaining equilibrium through changes in the muscle tone of
the axial & girdle muscles.
 Damage of the vestibulo-cerebellum → disturbance of equilibrium
(malquilibrium).

2) The Effect of Cerebellum on Muscle Tone:

 Neocerebellum is facilitatory to stretch reflex → ↑ muscle tone.
 Paleocerebellum is inhibitory to stretch reflex → ↓ muscle tone.

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 Cerebellar Lesions in Humans
Neocerebellar Syndrome:
 Cause: Lesion in the deep cerebellar nuclei & the cerebellar cortex.
 Effects: are on the same side of the lesion.
 Manifestations:
A) Pendular Hypotonia: due to loss of the facilitatory effect of
cerebellum on stretch reflex (muscle tone).
B) Motor Ataxia: incoordination of voluntary movements in absence of
motor lesions (UMNL or LMNL).
Manifestations of ataxia:
1) Dysmetria: the movements overshoot their intended point.
** Finger-finger test. ** Finger-nose test.
2) Kinetic tremors (intentional tremors): due to absence of the
braking & damping functions of the cerebellum.
3) Eye ball tremors (Horizontal Nystagmus): during fixing the eye
on an object on the side of the head due to absence of the damping
function of cerebellum.
4) Dysarthria (Staccato speech): difficulty in producing clear correct
speech due to defects of skilled movements concerned with speech.
5) Dysdiadochokinesia or Adiadochokinesia: inability to do rapid
alternating opposite movements e.g: repeated pronation & supination
of the hands.
6) Decomposition of movements: inability to do simultaneous
movements at more than one joint. ** Heel-knee test.
7) Rebound phenomenon: inability to stop the motor act at the proper
time due to absence of cerebellar brake.
8) Drunken (Staggering) gait: the patient walks on a wide base,
swinging from side to side & may fall on the diseased side (wide-
based gait).

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