The control of forelimb movements by intermediate cerebellum

In a series of studies, the functional organization of cerebellar regions contributing to the control of forelimb movements via the rubro- and corticospinal tracts has been characterized in the cat. The system consists of the cerebellar cortical C1, C3 and Y zones and their efferent intracerebellar nucleus, the interpositus anterior. Based on analyses of cutaneous and muscle afferent climbing fibre input, of corticonuclear connections and of limb movements controlled, a modular organization of this cerebellar control system is proposed. Each module consists of a number of cortical microzones, defined by their homogeneous climbing fibre input, and a group of neurones in nucleus interpositus anterior on which these microzones converge. The input to climbing fibres is multi-modal and originates from cutaneous A beta (tactile), A delta and C (nociceptive) fibres and from muscle afferents. The cutaneous receptive fields have spatial characteristics suggestive of a relation to elemental movements. For most climbing fibres, the spatial relationship between cutaneous and muscle afferent input is such that the muscle afferent input originates from muscles that, if activated, would tend to move the cutaneous receptive field of the climbing fibre towards a stimulus applied to the skin. By contrast, the limb movement controlled by the module often has the opposite direction, and would thus tend to move the cutaneous receptive field away from a stimulus applied to the skin. Functional implications of this organization for the involvement of these regions in acute and adaptive motor control of limb movements are discussed.