Neuroscience Week 4: Cerebellar histology and circuitry Flashcards
(43 cards)
cerebellum cell count
- The cerebellum has a vast surface area, however, and when stretched, it has a rostrocaudal expanse of roughly 120 centimeters, which allows it to hold an estimated one hundred billion granule cells — more cells than exist within the entire cerebral cortex.
THE TWO MAIN CLASSES OF CEREBELLAR NUCLEI
- The cerebellar cortical neurons
- The deep cerebellar nuclei
CEREBELLAR CORTICAL CELL LAYERS

deep to superficial
- Granule layer
- Purkinje layer
- Molecular layer

Identify Cerebellum layers


cerebellum’s remarkable rehabilitation in cerebellar stroke
cerebellum’s extraordinary cell count plays an important role
Granule layer properties and contents
- (highly cellular)
- Contains granule cells, Golgi cells, and unipolar brush cells.

Purkinje layer Properties and contents
- A single layer of large Purkinje cell bodies.
- Purkinje cells project a fine axon through the granule cell layer.

Identify layers and contents


Molecular layer properties and contents
Primarily comprises cell processes but also contains stellate and basket cells.

DEEP CEREBELLAR NUCLEI
From medial to lateral:
- Fastigial
- Globose
- Emboliform
- Dentate
The globose and emboliform nuclei are also known as the
interposed nuclei
A classic acronym for the lateral to medial organization of the deep nuclei
“Don’t Eat Greasy Food,” for dentate, emboliform, globose, and fastigial.
Identify and cell type

Purkinje cell

Fastigial nucleus plays a role in
the vestibulo- and spinocerebellum.
Interposed nuclei are part of the
spinocerebellum.
Dentate nucleus is part of the
pontocerebellum.
Identify Deep Cerebellar Nuclei


Three main types of cerebellar afferent fibers
- Climbing fibers
- Mossy fibers
- Multilayered fibers
Multilayered fibers AKA
monoaminergic fibers
Climbing fibers
Originate solely from
the inferior olive and pass via the contralateral inferior cerebellar peduncle to the cerebellum.
Climbing fibers neurotransmitter type
Debate exists as to whether climbing fibers use the excitatory neurotransmitter aspartate or glutamate, but it seems most probable that they use glutamate.
Mossy fibers type and derived from?
Excitatory fibers derived from diffuse cell populations within the brainstem and spinal cord.
Mossy Fibers neurotransmitter type
They, like the climbing fibers, mostly use the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate.
These olivocerebellar fibers are distinct in that each Purkinje cell is
These olivocerebellar fibers are distinct in that each Purkinje cell is innervated by a single olivocerebellar climbing fiber.






