Brain anatomy: Cerebellum

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Brain anatomy Cerebellum
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Cerebellum

• The cerebellum is located behind the dorsal
  aspect of the pons and the medulla.
• A midline portion, the vermis, separates two
  lateral lobes, or cerebellar hemispheres.
• The cerebellum consists of the cerebellar cortex
  and the underlying cerebellar white matter
• Four paired deep cerebellar nuclei are located
  within the white matter of the cerebellum
• Because of the location of the fourth ventricle,
  ventral to the cerebellum, mass lesions or
  swelling of the cerebellum can cause obstructive
  hydrocephalus.

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Cerebellar functions

• The cerebellum has several main functions
• coordinating skilled voluntary movements by
  influencing muscle activity,
• controlling equilibrium and muscle tone through
  connections with the vestibular system and the
  spinal cord and its gamma motor neurons.
• There is a somatotopic organization of body parts
  within the cerebellar cortex.
• In addition, the cerebellum receives collateral
  input from the sensory and special sensory
  systems.

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Functions

• Co-ordination of movement
• The cortex initiates it and the cerebellum
  co-ordinates it.

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Damage to the cerebellum

• Causes a lack of co-ordination
• Speaking
• Walking
• Tremour

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Cerebellar Stroke

• Dizziness, vomiting
• Unsteady so that walking is impossible
• Power, tone and reflexes normal
• Area of blood in the cerebellum would show on a
  CT scan