A computational model of cerebellar cortex and peripheral muscle

Abstract

A computational model, suitable for analytical or machine simulation studies, is developed for a specific cerebellar loop, the pathway from muscle fibre stretch receptors to the cerebellar cortex and back again. The model adheres to physiological data from the cat, and employs features from several existing models, including a single neuron model developed and tested earlier. Also included is a mechanical equivalent to an idealised muscle, in this case a rectangular array of muscle fibres which map 1-to-1 onto the array of compartments which form the cerebellar cortex. Much of the literature on cerebellar models is briefly reviewed, as are several key physiological experiments.