Spinocerebellar Tracts, Pontocerebellar, Reticulocerebellar, Olivocerebellar,
Ceruleocerebellar, Hypothalamocerebellar, and Raphecerebellar Fibers
Posterior Spinocerebellar Tract
Anterior Spinocerebellar Tract
Cuneocerebellar Tract
Rostral cerebellar Tract
Posterior Spinocerebellar
•
From muscle spindles and GTO’s in the lower limb
•
Lamina VI and VII (Dorsal Nucleus of Clarke) at level of C8-L3
•
Ascends Ipsilaterally
•
Enter cerebellum via ICP
Anterior Spinocerebellar
•
From GTO’s in the lower limb muscles
•
Transmit info to lamina VI
•
Decussate and ascend Contralaterally
•
Most fibers recross the midline before reaching the cerebellum so the stimulus will go to
both hemispheres
•
The fibers enter both hemispheres via the SCP
Cuneocerebellar
•
Upper limb equivalent of the PSCT
•
Starts where PSCT left off (C8)
•
Axons ascend ipsilaterally via the cuneate fasciculus until reaching the accessory
cuneate nucleus
•
Enters through the ICP
Rostral cerebellar
•
Receives info from GTO’s in upper limb muscles
•
Begins at lamina VII at C4-C8 spinal segments
•
Transmits info from the cervical spinal cord to the ipsilateral cerebellum
•
Enters cerebellum via ICP and SCP
Neurotransmitters

All of these pathways use Glutamate
Cerebellar Fibers
Name
Start
Cerebellar
Peduncle
End
Neurotransmitter
Ips/Cont/Bi
+ = Excitatory
Type
- = Inhibitory
Pontocerebellar
Pontine Nuclei
Reticulocerebellar
Reticular
formation
MCP
Fiber
Glutamate (+)
Contralateral
Enkephalin
Bilateral
Raphecerebellar
Raphe nuclei (in
pons and
medulla)
MCP and ICP
Hypothalamocerebellar
Hypothalamus
SCP
Ceruleocerebellar
Nucleus (locus)
Ceruleus
Olivocerebellar
Inf. Olivary
Nucleus
ICP
Cerebella
r Nuclei
and
Cortex
Serotonin
Ipsilateral
Histamine
Bilateral
Noradrenaline
Ipsilateral
Aspartate (+)
Corticotropin
Contralateral
Releasing factor (+)
mossy
Climbing