[Major anatomico-functional relations in the cerebellum]

In this paper the main anatomico-functional data concerning the cerebellum are presented. The numerous hypotheses put forward on the functions of the cerebellum, such as they are listed in introduction, illustrate both the advances achieved and the problems awaiting to be solved. Following a general view of phylogenesis, the peculiar characteristics of the cerebellar cortex structure are emphasized; they include, notably, the properties of the olivo-cerebellar system, which is a source of climbing fibres and the organization into microzones, which constitutes the basic elements of the cerebellum. Finally, two aspects of functional organization are treated: the definition of three types of cerebellum (vestibular, somaesthetic and visual) based on the sensorial afferent pathways and the definition of efferent functional subsets based on sagittal bands identified in the vermis, the intermediate area and the hemispheric portion.