Middle cerebellar peduncle

Last updated
Middle cerebellar peduncle
Gray705.png
Dissection showing the projection fibers of the cerebellum. (Middle peduncle labeled at upper right.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin pedunculus cerebellaris medius
MeSH D065837
NeuroNames 620
NeuroLex ID birnlex_1529
TA98 A14.1.05.003
A14.1.07.416
TA2 5848
FMA 72515
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The middle cerebellar peduncle (or brachium pontis [1] ) is a paired structure of the brain. It connects the pons to the cerebellum, with fibres originating from the pontine nucleus and travelling to the opposite hemisphere of the cerebellar cortex. It is supplied by the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) and branches from the basilar artery. It conveys information from the cerebrum and the pons to the cerebellum.

Contents

Structure

The middle cerebellar peduncle is the largest of the three cerebellar peduncles. It connects the pons and cerebellum. It consists almost entirely of fibers passing from the pons to the cerebellum (fibrocerebellar fibers); the fibers arise from the pontine nuclei and decussate within the pons before entering the peduncle [1] to end in the contralateral hemisphere of the cerebellar cortex. [2]

The trigeminal nerve (CN V) arises from the lateral pons very close to the middle cerebellar peduncle. [3]

Blood supply

The middle cerebellar peduncle is supplied by the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA), as well as smaller branches from the basilar artery. [4]

Clinical significance

Infarction of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) can damage the middle cerebellar peduncle. [4] Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma may spread from the pons into the middle cerebellar peduncle. [5]

Additional images

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cerebellum</span> Structure at the rear of the vertebrate brain, beneath the cerebrum

The cerebellum is a major feature of the hindbrain of all vertebrates. Although usually smaller than the cerebrum, in some animals such as the mormyrid fishes it may be as large as it or even larger. In humans, the cerebellum plays an important role in motor control and cognitive functions such as attention and language as well as emotional control such as regulating fear and pleasure responses, but its movement-related functions are the most solidly established. The human cerebellum does not initiate movement, but contributes to coordination, precision, and accurate timing: it receives input from sensory systems of the spinal cord and from other parts of the brain, and integrates these inputs to fine-tune motor activity. Cerebellar damage produces disorders in fine movement, equilibrium, posture, and motor learning in humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medulla oblongata</span> Structure of the brain stem

The medulla oblongata or simply medulla is a long stem-like structure which makes up the lower part of the brainstem. It is anterior and partially inferior to the cerebellum. It is a cone-shaped neuronal mass responsible for autonomic (involuntary) functions, ranging from vomiting to sneezing. The medulla contains the cardiac, respiratory, vomiting and vasomotor centers, and therefore deals with the autonomic functions of breathing, heart rate and blood pressure as well as the sleep–wake cycle. "Medulla" is from Latin, ‘pith or marrow’. And "oblongata" is from Latin, ‘lengthened or longish or elongated'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pons</span> Part of the brainstem in humans and other bipeds

The pons is part of the brainstem that in humans and other mammals, lies inferior to the midbrain, superior to the medulla oblongata and anterior to the cerebellum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brainstem</span> Posterior part of the brain, adjoining and structurally continuous

The brainstem is the stalk-like part of the brain that interconnects the cerebrum and diencephalon with the spinal cord. In the human brain, the brainstem is composed of the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla oblongata. The midbrain is continuous with the thalamus of the diencephalon through the tentorial notch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cerebral peduncle</span> Stalks that attach the cerebrum to the brainstem

The cerebral peduncles are the two stalks that attach the cerebrum to the brainstem. They are structures at the front of the midbrain which arise from the ventral pons and contain the large ascending (sensory) and descending (motor) nerve tracts that run to and from the cerebrum from the pons. Mainly, the three common areas that give rise to the cerebral peduncles are the cerebral cortex, the spinal cord and the cerebellum. The region includes the tegmentum, crus cerebri and pretectum. By this definition, the cerebral peduncles are also known as the basis pedunculi, while the large ventral bundle of efferent fibers is referred to as the cerebral crus or the pes pedunculi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivary body</span>

In anatomy, the olivary bodies or simply olives are a pair of prominent oval structures in the medulla oblongata, the lower portion of the brainstem. They contain the olivary nuclei.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basilar artery</span> Artery that supplies the brain with blood

The basilar artery is one of the arteries that supplies the brain with oxygen-rich blood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spinocerebellar tract</span> Nerve tract in humans

The spinocerebellar tract is a nerve tract originating in the spinal cord and terminating in the same side (ipsilateral) of the cerebellum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Subarachnoid cisterns</span> Spaces around the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid

The subarachnoid cisterns are spaces formed by openings in the subarachnoid space, an anatomic space in the meninges of the brain. The space is situated between the two meninges, the arachnoid mater and the pia mater. These cisterns are filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flocculus</span>

The flocculus is a small lobe of the cerebellum at the posterior border of the middle cerebellar peduncle anterior to the biventer lobule. Like other parts of the cerebellum, the flocculus is involved in motor control. It is an essential part of the vestibulo-ocular reflex, and aids in the learning of basic motor skills in the brain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anterior inferior cerebellar artery</span> Major blood supply to the cerebellum

The anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is one of three pairs of arteries that supplies blood to the cerebellum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superior cerebellar artery</span> Artery of the head

The superior cerebellar artery (SCA) is an artery of the head. It arises near the end of the basilar artery. It is a branch of the basilar artery. It supplies parts of the cerebellum, the midbrain, and other nearby structures. It is the cause of trigeminal neuralgia in some patients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Labyrinthine artery</span> Artery of the internal ear

The labyrinthine artery is a branch of either the anterior inferior cerebellar artery or the basilar artery. It accompanies the vestibulocochlear nerve through the internal acoustic meatus. It supplies blood to the internal ear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cerebellar peduncle</span> Structure connecting the cerebellum to the brainstem

Cerebellar peduncles connect the cerebellum to the brain stem. There are six cerebellar peduncles in total, three on each side:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superior cerebellar peduncle</span>

In the human brain, the superior cerebellar peduncle is a paired structure of white matter that connects the cerebellum to the midbrain. It consists mainly of efferent fibers, the cerebellothalamic tract that runs from a cerebellar hemisphere to the contralateral thalamus, and the cerebellorubral tract that runs from a cerebellar hemisphere to the red nucleus. It also contains afferent tracts, most prominent of which is the ventral spinocerebellar tract. Other afferent tracts are the trigeminothalamic fibers, tectocerebellar fibers, and noradrenergic fibers from the locus coeruleus. The superior peduncle emerges from the upper and medial parts of the white matter of each hemisphere and is placed under cover of the upper part of the cerebellum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anterior perforated substance</span> Part of the brain

The anterior perforated substance is a part of the brain. It is bilateral. It is irregular and quadrilateral. It lies in front of the optic tract and behind the olfactory trigone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basilar part of pons</span>

The basilar part of pons, also known as basis pontis, is the ventral part of the pons; the dorsal part is known as the pontine tegmentum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lateral pontine syndrome</span> Medical condition

Lateral Pontine Syndrome, also known as Marie-Foix syndrome or Marie-Foix-Alajouanine syndrome. It refers to one of the brainstem stroke syndromes of the lateral aspect of the pons. A lateral pontine syndrome is a lesion which is similar to the lateral medullary syndrome, but because it occurs in the pons, it also involves the cranial nerve nuclei of the pons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anatomy of the cerebellum</span> Structures in the cerebellum, a part of the brain

The anatomy of the cerebellum can be viewed at three levels. At the level of gross anatomy, the cerebellum consists of a tightly folded and crumpled layer of cortex, with white matter underneath, several deep nuclei embedded in the white matter, and a fluid-filled ventricle in the middle. At the intermediate level, the cerebellum and its auxiliary structures can be broken down into several hundred or thousand independently functioning modules or compartments known as microzones. At the microscopic level, each module consists of the same small set of neuronal elements, laid out with a highly stereotyped geometry.

References

PD-icon.svgThis article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

  1. 1 2 Patestas, Maria A.; Gartner, Leslie P. (2016). A Textbook of Neuroanatomy (2nd ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell. p. 290. ISBN   978-1-118-67746-9.
  2. Voogd, Jan; Ruigrok, Tom J. H. (2012). "15 - Cerebellum and Precerebellar Nuclei". The Human Nervous System (3rd ed.). Academic Press. pp. 471–545. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-374236-0.10015-X. ISBN   978-0-12-374236-0.
  3. Franklin, S. (2017). "5 - The Peripheral and Central Nervous System". Conn's Translational Neuroscience. Academic Press. pp. 113–129. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-802381-5.00007-5. ISBN   978-0-12-802381-5.
  4. 1 2 DeMyer, William (2009). Stroke in Children and Young Adults (2nd ed.). Saunders. pp. 15–68. doi:10.1016/B978-0-7506-7418-8.00002-1. ISBN   978-0-7506-7418-8.
  5. Vitanza, Nicholas A.; Fisher, Paul G.; Deisseroth, Michelle Monje (2017). "128 - Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma". Swaiman's Pediatric Neurology (6th ed.). Elsevier. pp. 991–994. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-37101-8.00128-4. ISBN   978-0-323-37101-8.