Functions
Lat.
Zone
Interm. Zone
Med/Floc
Olive
Problems
Contents
Anatomy
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As you realize by now,
I have not said very much about the inferior olive. You know
that the olive is the source of climbing fibers to the
entire contralateral cerebellum and that their stimulation
results in a complex spike. I have not emphasized any other
connections but now that we are through with the spinal cord
and brain stem I want to tell you two inputs to the inferior
olive. One comes from the spinal cord and is thus called the
spino-olivary projection. Think about collaterals coming off
of the dorsal spinocerebellar tract and the cuneocerebellar
tract and ending in the CONTRALATERAL OLIVE. Does
the laterality of this projection "make sense"? We
cannot see these collaterals in our sections. The other
olivary projection that I want you to know is from the
primary motor cortex (MI). These cortico-olivary fibers are
UNCROSSED. Does the laterality of this projection
"make sense"? You can see that some comparison
can be done in the olive of the intended movement with the
ongoing movement. Such correction information is conveyed to
the intermediate zone of the cerebellum. I realize
that there is climbing input to other zones of the
cerebellum for planning etc., but enough is enough, if you
know what I mean. Or, as they say in New York, ENOUGH
ALREADY!
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