Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Eye Movement Deficits in Cerebellar Disease

  • Chapter
Current Oculomotor Research

Abstract

The cerebellum is known to improve but not generate eye movements. Thus without the cerebellum all types of eye movements are still possible, an exemption being smooth pursuit eye movements (SPEM) which can no longer be performed after total cerebellectomy (Westheimer and Blair, 1973). It is also well established that certain areas of the cerebellum are more involved in oculomotor control than others. Three major cerebellar structures related to oculomotor functions have been distinguished: I. The floccular region, II. the oculomotor vermis with the underlying fastigial nucleus and III. the nodulus. However, there are certainly other structures of the cerebellum, which are also involved in oculomotor control (Ron and Robinson, 1973; Mano et al. 1991; Straube et al. 1997). In the following some recent results concerning the role of the cerebellum in oculomotor control will be presented. Emphasis will be laid on the relation of structure and function. However, in patient studies this is often not possible in detail.

Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Aschoff JC, and Cohen B (1971) Changes in saccadic eye movements produced by cerebellar cortical lesions. Exp Neurol 32: 123–133

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Büttner U, and Büttner-Ennever JA (1988) Present concepts of oculomotor organization. Rev Oculomot Res 2: 3–32

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Büttner U, Fuchs AF, Markert-Schwab G, and Buckmaster P (1991) Fastigial nucleus activity in the alert monkey during slow eye and head movements. J Neurophysiol 65: 1360–1371

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Büttner U, and Grundei T (1995) Gaze-evoked nystagmus and smooth pursuit deficits: their relationship studied in 52 patients. J Neurol 242: 384–389

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Büttner U, and Straube A (1995) The effect of cerebellar midline lesions on eye movements. Neuro-ophthalmol 15:75–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Büttner U, Straube A, and Spuler A (1994) Saccadic dysmetria and “intact” smooth pursuit eye movements after bilateral deep cerebellar nuclei lesions. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 57: 832–834

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cannon SC, and Robinson DA (1987) Loss of the neural integrator of the oculomotor system from brain stem lesions in monkey. J Neurophysiol 57: 1383–1409

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dichgans J, von-Reutern GM, and Rommelt U (1978) Impaired suppression of vestibular nystagmus by fixation in cerebellar and noncerebellar patients. Arch Psychiatr Nervenkr 226: 183–199

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fuchs AF, Robinson FR, and Straube A (1993) Role of the Caudal Fastigial Nucleus in Saccade Generation .1. Neuronal Discharge Patterns. J Neurophysiol 70: 1723–1740

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fuchs AF, Robinson FR, Straube A (1994 a) Preliminary observations on the role of the caudal fastigial nucleus in the generation of smooth-pursuit eye movements. In: Fuchs AF, Brandt T, Büttner U, Zee D (eds) Contemporary Ocular Motor and Vestibular Research: A Tribute to David A. Robinson. Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, pp 165–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuchs AF, Robinson FR, and Straube A (1994 b) Participation of the caudal fastigial nucleus in smooth-pursuit eye movements. I. Neuronal activity. J Neurophysiol 72: 2714–2728

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grant MP, Cohen M, Peterson RB, Halmagyi GM, McDougall A, Tusa RJ, and Leigh RJ (1993) Abnormal eye movements in Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. Ann Neurol 34: 192–197

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Helmchen C, and Büttner U (1995 a) Centripetal nystagmus in a case of Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. Neuroophthalmol 15:187–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helmchen C, and Büttner U (1995 b) Saccade-related Purkinje cell activity in the oculomotor vermis during spontaneous eye movements in light and darkness. Exp Brain Res 103: 198–208

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Helmchen C, Straube A, and Büttner U (1994) Saccade-related activity in the fastigial oculomotor region of the macaque monkey during spontaneous eye movements in light and darkness. Exp Brain Res 98: 474–482

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Keller EL (1988) Cerebellar involvement in smooth pursuit eye movement generation: flocculus and vermis. In: Kennard C, Rose FC (eds) Physiological Aspects of Clinical Neuro-Ophthalmology. pp 341–354

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurzan R, and Büttner U (1989) Smooth pursuit mechanisms in congenital nystagmus. Neuro-ophthalmol 9: 313–325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kurzan R, Straube A, and Büttner U (1993) The effect of muscimol micro-injections into the fastigial nucleus on the optokinetic response and the vestibulo-ocular reflex in the alert monkey. Exp Brain Res 94: 252–260

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leech J, Gresty M, Hess K, and Rudge P (1977) Gaze failure, drifting eye movements, and centripetal nystagmus in cerebellar disease. Br J Ophthalmol 61: 774–781

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leigh RJ, Zee DS (1991) The neurology of eye movements. F.A. Davis, Philadelphia,

    Google Scholar 

  • Mano N, Ito Y, and Shibutani H (1991) Saccade-related Purkinje cells in the cerebellar hemispheres of the monkey. Exp Brain Res 84: 465–470

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noda H, Sugita S, and Ikeda Y (1990) Afferent and efferent connections of the oculomotor region of the fastigial nucleus in the macaque monkey. J Comp Neurol 302: 330–348

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ohtsuka K, and Noda H (1995) Discharge Properties of Purkinje Cells in the oculomotor vermis during visually guided saccades in the macaque monkey. J Neurophysiol 74: 1828–1840

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Optican LM, and Robinson DA (1980) Cerebellar-dependent adaptive control of the primate saccadic system. J Neurophysiol 44: 1058–1075

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pierrot-DeScilligny C, Amarenco P, Roullet E, and Marteau R (1990) Vermal infarct with pursuit eye movement disorders. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 53: 519–521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson FR, Straube A, and Fuchs AF (1993) Role of the Caudal Fastigial Nucleus in Saccade Generation .2. Effects of Muscimol Inactivation. J Neurophysiol 70: 1741–1758

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson FR, Straube A, and Fuchs AF (1997) Participation of caudal fastigial nucleus in smooth pursuit eye movements. II. Effects of muscimol inactivation. J Neurophysiol 78: 848–859

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ron S, and Robinson DA (1973) Eye movements evoked by cerebellar stimulation in the alert monkey. J Neurophysiol 36: 1004–1022

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rudge P, and Leigh J (1976) Analysis of a case of periodic alternating nystagmus. Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 39: 314–319

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Straube A, Deubel H, Spuler A, and Büttner U (1995) Differential effect of a bilateral deep cerebellar nuclei lesion on externally and internally triggered saccades in humans. Neuroophthalmol 15: 67–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Straube A, Kurzan R, and Büttner U (1991) Differential effects of bicuculline and muscimol microinjections into the vestibular nuclei on simian eye movements. Exp Brain Res 86: 347–358

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Straube A, Scheuerer W, and Eggert T (1997) Unilateral cerebellar lesions affect initiation of ipsilateral smooth pursuit eye movements in humans. Ann Neurol 42: 891–898

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki DA, and Keller EL (1988 a) The Role of the Posterior Vermis of Monkey Cerebellum in Smooth-Pursuit Eye Movement Control. I. Eye and Head Movement-Related Activity. J Neurophysiol 59: 1–18

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki DA, and Keller EL (1988 b) The Role of the Posterior Vermis of Monkey Cerebellum in Smooth-Pursuit Eye Movement Control. II. Target Velocity-Related Purkinje Cell Activity. J Neurophysiol 59: 19–40

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Takagi M, Zee DS, Tamargo R (1996) Effect of dorsal cerebellar vermal lesions on saccades and pursuit in monkeys. Soc Neurosci 22: 1458(Abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Vahedi K, Rivaud S, Amarenco P, and Pierrot-DeScilligny C (1995) Horizontal eye movement disorders after posterior vermis infarctions. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 58: 91–94

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Westheimer G, and Blair SM (1973) Oculomotor defects in cerebellectomized monkeys. Invest Ophthalmol 12: 618–621

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamada J, and Noda H (1987) Afferent and efferent connections of the oculomotor cerebellar vermis in the macaque monkey. J Comp Neurol 265: 224–241

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zee DS, Yamazaki A, Butler PH, and Gücer G (1981) Effects of ablation of flocculus and paraflocculus on eye movements in primates. J Neurophysiol 46: 878–899

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zee DS, Yee RD, Cogan DG, Robinson DA, and Engel WK (1976) Ocular motor abnormalities in hereditary cerebellar ataxia. Brain 99: 207–234

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Deptartment of Neurology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany

    U. Büttner

Authors
  1. U. Büttner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany

    Wolfgang Becker

  2. Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany

    Heiner Deubel

  3. University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    Thomas Mergner

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Büttner, U. (1999). Eye Movement Deficits in Cerebellar Disease. In: Becker, W., Deubel, H., Mergner, T. (eds) Current Oculomotor Research. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3054-8_54

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3054-8_54

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-3308-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-3054-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation