Organ
Cerebellum
Adjusts movement, balance and motor learning
High-yield
A lesion in one cerebellar hemisphere usually causes incoordination of the same-side limbs. Crossed cerebellar output followed by crossing of descending motor pathways helps explain this pattern, but the full circuitry includes uncrossed routes too.
Overview
The cerebellum lies behind the pons and medulla, below the tentorium. A midline vermis joins its hemispheres. Its folded cortex and deep nuclei integrate intended movements with sensory feedback, helping adjust timing and accuracy while also contributing to cognitive networks.
Reference facts
- Location
- Posterior cranial fossa, beneath the tentorium and dorsal to the fourth ventricle
- Parts
- Vermis and two hemispheres; anterior, posterior and flocculonodular lobes. Deep nuclei run medial to lateral: fastigial, globose, emboliform, dentate.
- Blood supply
- Superior cerebellar, anterior inferior cerebellar and posterior inferior cerebellar arteries
- Relations
- Three pairs of peduncles connect it to the brainstem; inferior tonsils lie near the foramen magnum
- Function
- Movement timing and coordination, posture, balance, eye-movement control and motor learning, with additional cognitive and affective roles
Mnemonic
DANISH recalls possible cerebellar signs: Dysdiadochokinesia, Ataxia, Nystagmus, Intention tremor, Scanning speech and Hypotonia.
Clinical correlation
Vermian injury often disrupts gait and trunk stability; hemispheric injury often affects limb coordination. A swollen cerebellar infarct can compress the brainstem or obstruct CSF flow within the confined posterior fossa.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the cerebellum located?
Posterior cranial fossa, beneath the tentorium and dorsal to the fourth ventricle.
What does the cerebellum do?
Movement timing and coordination, posture, balance, eye-movement control and motor learning, with additional cognitive and affective roles.
What are the parts of the cerebellum?
Vermis and two hemispheres; anterior, posterior and flocculonodular lobes. Deep nuclei run medial to lateral: fastigial, globose, emboliform, dentate.
What is the blood supply of the cerebellum?
Superior cerebellar, anterior inferior cerebellar and posterior inferior cerebellar arteries.