Cerebellar Control of Ocular Movements: Application to the Topographical Diagnosis of Cerebellar Lesions

Abstract

Over the last decade, substantial information on cerebellar oculomotor control has been provided by the use of sophisticated neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and imaging techniques. We now know that an intact cerebellum is a prerequisite for normal oculomotor performance. This review clarifies the current knowledge on structure-function correlations of the cerebellum in relation to ocular movements and allows them to be applied to topographical diagnosis of cerebellar lesions. The cerebellar regions most closely related to oculomotor function are: (1) the flocculus/paraflocculus for VOR suppression, cancellation, smooth pursuit eye movement and gaze-holding, (2) the nodulus/ventral uvula for velocity storage and low frequency prolonged vestibular response, and (3) the dorsal oculomotor vermis (declive VI, folium VII) and the posterior portion of the fastigial nucleus (fastigial oculomotor region) for saccades and smooth pursuit initiation. Symptomatically, defects in the flocculus/parflocculus cause saccadic pursuit, downbeat nystagmus, and impairments to visual suppression of the VOR. Lesions of the nodulus/uvula reveal as periodic alternating nystagmus. Lesions of the oculomotor vermis and the fastigial nucleus can induce saccadic dysmetria, while fastigial nucleus lesions may also cause ocular flutter/opsoclonus. A detailed knowledge of cerebellar anatomy and the physiology of eye movements enables localization of lesions to specific areas of the cerebellum.