Cerebellar corticonuclear and corticovestibular fibers from the posterior lobe of the albino rat, with comments on zones.

Abstract

The topographic organization of cerebellar cortical efferent fibers from the posterior lobe of the albino rat was studied by silver impregnation methods. The corticonuclear fibers from the vermis of the posterior lobe project to the caudomedial and middle parts of the medial cerebellar nucleus (MN) with medio-lateral localization; fibers from the medial portion of the vermis project to the caudomedial part of the MN (MNcm) and those from the lateral portion project to the middle part of the MN (MNm). Corticovestibular fibers originate in the caudal vermis lateral to the area projecting to the MNcm and MNm, and terminate in the dorsal part of the lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN). The origins of corticonuclear fibers to the dorsolateral protuberance of the MN (MNdlp), the posterior interpositus nucleus (PIN) and the anterior interpositus nucleus (AIN) are located latero-medially in the intermediate cortex. Fibers from the area adjacent to the vermis and rostral to the prepyramidal fissure project to the MNdlp, while those from the area lateral to the origin of the corticovestibular fibers and caudal to the fissure project to the medial AIN. Together, these areas comprise a medial portion of the intermediate cortex. Corticonuclear fibers to the PIN and lateral AIN originate from the lateral portion of the intermediate cortex. The corticonuclear fibers to the dorsolateral hump and lateral nucleus originate from the medial and lateral portions of the lateral cortex, respectively.