Neuroanatomy Lab 4: Microscopic Anatomy Of The Cerebellum

Front 1

What layer of the Cerebellar Cortex is indicated by the white arrow?

Back 1

The Molecular Layer.

Front 2

What layer of the Cerebellar Cortex is indicated by the white arrow?

What type of cells are found in this layer.

Back 2

The Granule Cell layer.

2 types:
1) Granule Cells, with axons going to the Molecular layer, and
2) The larger Golgi Cells, with dendrites coming from the Molecular Layer.

(There is a much smaller number of Golgi Cells)

Front 3

What types of cells are found in the Molecular Layer?

Back 3

2 types:

1) Stellate Cells: in the upper region of the layer.
2) Basket Cells: larger, and located adjacent to the Purkinje Cells.

Front 4

What cell layer is indicated by the white (and green) arrow?

Back 4

The Purkinje Cell Layer.

Front 5

How can you identify the Purkinje Cell Layer?

Back 5

It is only one cell deep, but the cells are very large and it borders the Molecular and Granular Cell layers.

Front 6

What is the role of Purkinje Cells?

Back 6

They provide the sole efferent path from the cerebellar cortex. Their axons project inhibitory signals onto the cells of the Cerebellar Nuclei.

Front 7

Where do the Purkinje Cells receive their input?

Back 7

Their dendrites project into the Molecular Layer.

Front 8

What cells provide inputs to Purkinje Cells?

Back 8

There are four inputs, 2 inhibitory and 2 excitatory.
1) Inhibitory (blue boxes): Basket and Stellate cells from the Molecular Layer.
2) Excitatory (red boxes): Granule cells from the Granule Cell Layer, and Climbing Fibers from the Inferior Olive of the Medulla.

Front 9

Which cells provide the strongest excitatory input to the Purkinje Cells?

Back 9

The Climbing Fibres from the Inferior Olive have the strongest excitatory input.

Front 10

How many Cerebellar Nuclei are there?
What are their names?

Back 10

Four pairs. They are:
1) Fastigial,
2) Globose,
3) Emboliform, and
4) Dentate nuclei.

Front 11

Which cerebellar nucleus is indicated by the blue arrow?

Back 11

The Fastigial Nucleus.

Front 12

Which cerebellar nucleus is indicated by the blue arrow?

Back 12

The Globose Nuclei

(Globose means, "Ball-shaped")

Front 13

Which cerebellar nucleus is indicated by the blue arrow?

Back 13

The Emboliform Nucleus.

Front 14

Which cerebellar nucleus is indicated by the blue arrow?

Back 14

The Dentate Nucleus

Front 15

What is the role of the cerebellar nuclei?

Back 15

Almost all of the output from the cerebellum originates from cells in these nuclei.

Front 16

What are the inputs to the Cerebellar Cortex?

Back 16

Only 2 kinds of fibres:
1) Climbing Fibres: from the Inferior Olive.
2) Mossy Fibres: from many places
(cerebral cortex, vestibular nerve & nuclei, spinal cord, reticular formation, and cerebellar nuclei)

Front 17

What cells do the Mossy Fibres synapse with?

Back 17

The Granule Cells.

They form complex arrangements called "Rosettes."

Front 18

What cells do the Granule Cell axons synapse with?

Back 18

The Granule Cells form excitatory synapses with 3 cell types:
1) Purkinje Cells,
2) Stellate Cells, and
3) Basket Cells.

Front 19

What is the source of the Parallel Fibres of the Molecular Layer?

Back 19

They are formed by divisions of the axons of the Granule Cells.

Front 20

What is the role of the Golgi Cells in the Granule Cell Layer?

Back 20

They act as inhibitory interneurons with the Granule Cells.