Definition
The deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN) consist of three nuclei: the fastigial (medial) nucleus, the interposed nucleus, and the dentate (lateral) nucleus. Together they form the primary output from the cerebellum. DCN excitatory neurons project to a variety of extra-cerebellar targets, whereas the inhibitory neurons project exclusively to the inferior olive. The activity of DCN neurons is shaped by massive inhibitory input from Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex and excitatory input arriving via the inferior olive axons – the climbing fibers – and mossy fiber collaterals carrying information from the spinal cord, the cerebral cortex, and several brainstem structures. Hyperpolarization induced by the inhibitory input actively controls plasticity in the excitatory synapses in the cerebellar nuclei. Overall, DCN neurons participate in local and global feedback and feedforward networks thus generating complex dynamics.
Detailed Description
DCN neurons can be divided into three...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Baumel Y, Jacobson GA, Cohen D (2009) Implications of functional anatomy on information processing in the deep cerebellar nuclei. Front Cell Neurosci 3:14
Beitz AJ, Chan-Palay V (1979) The medial cerebellar nucleus in the rat: nuclear volume, cell number, density and orientation. Neuroscience 4:31–45
De Zeeuw CI, Hoebeek FE, Bosman LW, Schonewille M, Witter L, Koekkoek SK (2011) Spatiotemporal firing patterns in the cerebellum. Nature Rev 12:327–344
Jaeger D (2011) Mini-review: synaptic integration in the cerebellar nuclei–perspectives from dynamic clamp and computer simulation studies. Cerebellum (Lond) 10:659–666
Pedroarena CM, Schwarz C (2003) Efficacy and short-term plasticity at GABAergic synapses between Purkinje and cerebellar nuclei neurons. J Neurophysiol 89:704–715
Person AL, Raman IM (2012) Purkinje neuron synchrony elicits time-locked spiking in the cerebellar nuclei. Nature 481:502–505
Shinoda Y, Sugihara I, Wu HS, Sugiuchi Y (2000) The entire trajectory of single climbing and mossy fibers in the cerebellar nuclei and cortex. Prog Brain Res 124:173–186
Steuber V, Schultheiss NW, Silver RA, De Schutter E, Jaeger D (2010) Determinants of synaptic integration and heterogeneity in rebound firing explored with data-driven models of deep cerebellar nucleus cells. J Comput Neurosci 30:633–658
Telgkamp P, Raman IM (2002) Depression of inhibitory synaptic transmission between Purkinje cells and neurons of the cerebellar nuclei. J Neurosci 22:8447–8457
Teune TM, van der Burg J, de Zeeuw CI, Voogd J, Ruigrok TJ (1998) Single Purkinje cell can innervate multiple classes of projection neurons in the cerebellar nuclei of the rat: a light microscopic and ultrastructural triple-tracer study in the rat. J Comp Neurol 392:164–178
Uusisaari MY, Knopfel T (2012) Diversity of neuronal elements and circuitry in the cerebellar nuclei. Cerebellum (Lond) 11:420–421
Williams ER, Soteropoulos DS, Baker SN (2010) Spinal interneuron circuits reduce approximately 10-Hz movement discontinuities by phase cancellation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107:11098–11103
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this entry
Cite this entry
Cohen, D. (2015). Deep Cerebellar Nuclei. In: Jaeger, D., Jung, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6675-8_469
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6675-8_469
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-6674-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6675-8
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences