Producing adapted movements

Sensorimotor functions of
the cerebellum

EXCI-360 Neural
and Hormonal
Control of Human
Systems
Plan
 Intro – the cerebellum, an important region for movement
adaptation
 Anatomy
 Connections/cellular basis
 Flow of information through the cerebellum
 Movement implications
 Pathology
 Role in cognition
 Conclusions
Functions of the cerebellum
 Coordination (agonist-antagonist, whole limb)
 Control of movement initiation
 Balance
 Oculomotor control
 Learning of movement
 Provide parametric computations for
cognition
 Issues with thought
 The tree of life
- Lower part of the brain
- Highways that come into
cerebellum to communicate
- As many neurons in
cerebellum than in cerebrum

Hobson (1990): Cerebellum and brain stem

 Figure 19.1 Overall organization and
subdivisions of the cerebellum (Part 1)
- Cortical structure
on outside:
layers of
neurons
- Nuclear structure
in the center (4
cerebellar nuclei) Efferent = superior
- Separated by
white matter &
interconnections Afferent= middle

mixed = inferior
Figure 19.1 Overall organization and
subdivisions of the cerebellum (Part 4)

1. Spinocerebellum:
- Includes the vermis
- Receives input from SC

2. Cerebrocerebellum:
- On the sides, in hemispeheres
- Interconnections with cerebral
cortex

3. Vestibocerebellum:
- Smaller, deeper layer
- Interconnection with vestibular
nuclei
 Figure 19.2
Brainstem
and
diencephalon
components
related to the
cerebellum
- Interconnections with primary
motor cortex & premotor areas
- Motor cortex sends question to
cerebellum  goes back after
- Thalamus & BG involved in
returning back to the cortex
- Going from cortex to cerebellum
through pontine nucei
- Inferior olive: single nucleus that
has a lot of interconnections
with the cerebellum
Figure 19.3
Functional
organization
of the inputs
to the
cerebellum
(Part 2)
- Send input from frontal area to
pontine nuclei to cerebellar cortex
(cortico-ponto-cerebellar)
- Cerebello-thalamo-cortico on the
way back
Figure 19.3 Functional organization of the
inputs to the cerebellum (Part 1)
Adapting movement

The mighty Federer

Different ways to adapt movement
(e.g., tennis backhand)
Super Roger Fantastic Serena
Figure 19.4 Somatotopic maps of the
body surface in the cerebellum
- If you trigger muscle spindles,
you trigger spinocerebellum
 Cerebellar sensory receptive
fields
- Yellow is upper lip  “Fractured
if you push on it you
get areas that somatotopy”
respond & green
spots are distributed
= fractured
(redundancy present What would be
& mosaic of the advantage?
interactions)
- If you have a lesion, Enhance potential
representation interactions
somewhere else so
effect not as drastic
Figure 19.5 Functional organization of cerebellar
ouputs
General role for different
subdivisions
 Vestibulocerebellum: Control of eye
movements and balance
 Spinocerebellum: Control of ongoing
movements
 Cerebrocerebellum: Planning and
coordination of movements, cognitive
functions (timing, attention, sensation
monitoring?)
Figure 19.6 Functional organization of the
major ascending outputs from the
cerebellum Input: Corticopontocerebellum
Return: cerebellothalamocortico
Figure 19.7 Functional organization of the major
descending outputs from the cerebellum
- Interactions with cortex & going down to SC

* Right cerebrum controls left

hand VS. Left cerebellum
controls left hand
Activity
 The cerebellum cares about the opposite
side of the body __F___
 The cerebellum gets information from the
spinal cord __T___
 The cerebellum gets information from the
cerebral cortex __T___
 The cerebellum is organized of a cortex part
and a nuclear part __T___
Figure 19.8 Cerebellar cortical
neurons -- Purkinje cell: large dendrites & cell body
Important for motor control: sends info from
cerebellar cortex to nuclei
- Row of cells lined up in cerebellar cortex
Figure 19.9 Neurons and circuits of
the cerebellum (Part 1)

- Molecular layer, pukinje

cell layer & granular
layer
- Purkinje cell layer very
important because
axons go into cerebellar
nuclei
 Figure 19.9
Neurons and
circuits of
the
cerebellum
(Part 2)
Purkinje cell receives
input from parallel fibers
& granule cells and
climbing fibers
 One on one
relationship with climbing
fibers VS. massive input
from parallel fibers &
granule cells
 Figure 19.10
Excitatory &
inhibitory
connections in
the cerebellar
cortex and
deep cerebellar
nuclei
- Loop system:
comparison of info
when info goes through
the upper layers
(purkinje cell connects
to nuclei) and another
loop gives inhibition
- Less deep loop goes
straight to nuclei &
gives excitation
- Struggle at the level of
cerebellar nuclei
Activity
 The cells in the cerebellar cortex that are
output cells are __Purkinje cells___
 The large-volume, all-body encompassing
information comes from __mossy_ fibres.
 The low-volume, very strong input comes
from _climbing_ fibres.
Higher functions of the
cerebellum

 Role
The in cognition/emotion
cerebellum is a helper structure
 Sensory acquisition
 The cerebellum’s circuitry could be acting
 Attention
as a
 Timing
predictor
 And certainly has a sensorimotor role.
 Prediction and preparation
Conclusions
 The cerebellum helps in motor coordination
by parallel computations
 Is involved in motor planning and execution
 Role in cognition: planning of outcomes?
 Contributes to improve computations in other
brain centers