Anatomical compartments in the white matter of the rabbit flocculus

The white matter of the rabbit flocculus is subdivided into five compartments by narrow sheets of densely staining acetylcholinesterase-positive fibers. The most lateral compartment is continuous with the C2 compartment of the paraflocculus and contains the posterior interposed nucleus. The other four compartments are numbered from lateral to medial as floccular compartments 1, 2, 3, and 4 (FC1-4). FC1-3 continue across the posterolateral fissure into the adjacent folium (folium p) of the ventral paraflocculus. FC4 is present only in the rostral flocculus. In the caudal flocculus FC1 and FC3 abut dorsal to FC2. Fibers of FC1-4 can be traced into the lateral cerebellar nucleus and the floccular peduncle. The presence of acetylcholinesterase in the deep stratum of the molecular layer of the flocculus and ventral paraflocculus distinguishes them from the dorsal paraflocculus. The topographical relations to the flocculus and the floccular peduncle with group y and the cerebellar nuclei are discussed.