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11.4: The Cerebellum

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    The cerebellum, as the name suggests, is the “little brain.” It is covered in gyri and sulci like the cerebrum, and looks like a miniature version of that part of the brain (Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\)). The cerebellum is largely responsible for comparing information from the cerebrum with sensory feedback from the periphery through the spinal cord. It accounts for approximately 10 percent of the mass of the brain.

    This figure shows the location of the cerebellum in the brain. In the top panel, a lateral view labels the location of the cerebellum and the deep cerebellar white matter. In the bottom panel, a photograph of a brain, with the cerebellum in pink is shown.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): The Cerebellum The cerebellum is situated on the posterior surface of the brain stem. Descending input from the cerebellum enters through the large white matter structure of the pons. Ascending input from the periphery and spinal cord enters through the fibers of the inferior olive. Output goes to the midbrain, which sends a descending signal to the spinal cord.  (CC-BY-4.0, OpenStax, Human Anatomy)

     

     

    This page titled 11.4: The Cerebellum is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by OpenStax.

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