This document discusses the connections of the cerebellum. It describes the afferent and efferent fibers that connect the cerebellum to other parts of the brainstem and spinal cord. The main afferent tracts include the dorsal and ventral spinocerebellar, olivocerebellar, vestibulocerebellar, cuneocerebellar, tectocerebellar, cortico-ponto-cerebellar, and reticulocerebellar tracts. The efferent fibers arise from the cerebellar cortex and deep cerebellar nuclei and project to the brainstem, thalamus, and cerebral cortex. The connections allow the cerebellum

1. Cerebellar Connections
Venkatesh Karthikeyan,
I MBBS,
VMCH & RI.

3.  Connects Cerebellum to caudal midbrain and pons.
 Afferent fibres:
 Anterior spinocerebellar tract
 Tectocerebellar fibres
 Rubrocerebellar fibres
 Efferent fibres arises from:
 Cerebellar cortex
 Deep cerebellar nuclei

4.  Connects Cererbellum to Pons
 Afferent: Pontocerebellar fibres

5.  Connects Cerebellum to medulla
 Afferent fibres :
 Dorsal spinocerebellar tract
 Cuneocerebellar tract
 Olivocerebellar tract
 Reticulocerebellar tract
 Vestibulocerebellar tract

6. Afferent Connections
1. Dorsal Spinocerebellar tract
2. Ventral Spinocerebellar tract
3. Olivocerebellar tract
4. Vestibulocerebellar tract
5. Cuneocerebellar tract
6. Tectocerebellar tract
7. Cortico-ponto-cerebellar tract
8. Rubrocerebellar tract
9. Reticulocerebellar tract

8. Dorsal Spinocerebellar Tract
Carries unconscious kinesthetic and cutaneous
afferents from the trunk and leg.
Enters Ipsilateral inferior cerebellar peduncle.
Distributed to anterior lobe, pyramid, uvula and
median part of paramedian lobe

9. Ventral spinocerebellar tract
Carries Cutaneous and
proprioceptive fibers from all
parts of the body.
Enters the cerebellum via
ipsilateral superior cerebellar
peduncle.
Distributed to vermis and
anterior lobe.

10. Olivocerebellar tract
Carries proprioceptive inputs from whole body.
Relay in Inferior olive.
Enters via inferior cerebellar peduncle to supply all parts of
cerebellar cortex and deep cerebellar nuclei via climbing
fibres.
It is mainly a crossed pathway.

11. Vestibulocerebellar Tract
Arises from vestibular nucleus.
Fibers enter via Ipsilateral inferior cerebellar
peduncle.
Supplies Flocculonodular lobe and uvula.

12. Cuneocerebellar tract
Carries proprioceptive impulses from arm and
neck muscles.
Arises in external arcuate nucleus.
Enters through ipsilateral inferior cerebellar
peduncle to anterior lobe, pyramid and uvula.

13. Tectocerebellar tract
Arises from superior colliculi which relays fibres
from eye.
Also arises from inferior colliculi which relays fibres
from ear.
It enters via superior cerebellar peduncle to lobulus
simplex, declive and tuber.

14. Rubrocerebellar tract
• Arises from the red nucleus
• Enters via superior cerebellar peduncle
• Distributed to mainly dentate nucleus.
• Transmits impulses which have originated from
the cortex and relays in the red nucleus.

15. Cortico-Ponto-Cerebellar Tract
• Arises mainly from motor cortex.
• Ends in nuclei pontis.
• From nuclei pontis, the pontocerebellar fibres
cross to enter the opposite side in the middle
cerebellar peduncle.
• Distributed to all parts of Cerebellar cortex (except
flocculonodular node).

16. Reticulocerebellar tract
 Arises in the lateral reticular nucleus and is
uncrossed.
 Distributed via ipsilateral inferior cerebellar
peduncle to whole of cerebellar cortex.

19.  To brainstem
 To red nucleus and reticular formation
 To cerebral cortex

20. Vermis
Fastigial Nucleus
Medullary and Pontine regions of Brain Stem
*This circuit is responsible is for controlling equilibrium and
postural attitudes of the body.

21. Intermediate zone of cerebellum
Interposed nuleus
Ventrolateral and Ventroanterior nuclei of the thalamus
Cerebral Cortex
Thalamus
Basal ganglia
Red nucleus and reticular formation
*Coordinates the reciprocals of agonist and antagonist muscles

22. Cerebellar cortex of the lateral zone of the cerebellar
hemisphere
Dentate nucleus
Ventrolateral and Ventroanterior nuclei of the
thalamus
Cerebral Cortex
*Coordinate sequential motor activities initiated by the
cerebral cortex.

23. Thank You 
*Cerebellum has more neurons than the rest of the
brain put together.
*Cerebellum is the only part of whole brain, which receives
enormous amount of information from the Cerebral Cortex
with more than 40 million nerve fibres connecting the
cerebellum.