Flocculonodular lobe

Lobe of the cerebellum

Flocculonodular lobe
Schematic representation of the major anatomical subdivisions of the cerebellum. Superior view of an "unrolled" cerebellum, placing the vermis in one plane.
Basal view of a human brain
Identifiers
NeuroNames	679
NeuroLex ID	birnlex_904
TA98	A14.1.07.301
TA2	5799
FMA	72253
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy [edit on Wikidata]

The flocculonodular lobe (vestibulocerebellum) is a lobe of the cerebellum consisting of the nodule and the flocculus. The two flocculi are connected to the midline structure called the nodulus by thin pedicles. It is placed on the anteroinferior surface of cerebellum.

This region of the cerebellum has important connections to the vestibular nuclei and uses information about head movement to influence eye movement. Lesions to this area can result in multiple deficits in visual tracking and oculomotor control (such as nystagmus and vertigo), integration of vestibular information for eye and head control, as well as control of axial muscles for balance.^[1] This lobe is also involved in the maintenance of balance equilibrium and muscle tone.^[2] The most common cause of damage to the flocculonodular lobe is medulloblastoma in childhood.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 791 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

^ "Chapter 8B: Cerebellar Systems". Archived from the original on 2018-10-20. Retrieved 2012-05-06.
^ Mathias Baehr; Michael Frotscher (2012-01-25). Duus' Topical Diagnosis in Neurology: Anatomy, Physiology, Signs, Symptoms. Thieme. ISBN 978-3-13-164455-8.

External links

NIF Search - Flocculonodular lobe via the Neuroscience Information Framework

Anatomy of the cerebellum

Surface

Lobes	Anterior lobe Posterior lobe Horizontal fissure Flocculonodular lobe Flocculus Nodule Primary fissure
Medial/lateral	Vermis: anterior Central lobule Culmen Lingula posterior Folium Tuber Uvula Vallecula of cerebellum Hemisphere: anterior Alar central lobule posterior Biventer lobule Cerebellar tonsil

Grey matter

Deep cerebellar nuclei	Dentate interposed Emboliform Globose Fastigial
Cerebellar cortex	Molecular layer Stellate cell Basket cell Purkinje cell layer Purkinje cell Bergmann glia cell = Golgi epithelial cell Fañanas cell Granule cell layer Golgi cell Granule cell Unipolar brush cell Fibers: Mossy fibers Climbing fiber Parallel fiber

White matter

Internal	Arbor vitae
Peduncles	Inferior (medulla): Dorsal spinocerebellar tract Olivocerebellar tract Cuneocerebellar tract Juxtarestiform body (Vestibulocerebellar tract) Trigeminocerebellar fibers Middle (pons): Pontocerebellar fibers Superior (midbrain): Ventral spinocerebellar tract Dentatothalamic tract

Physiology of balance and hearing

Hearing

General	Auditory system Bone conduction Otoacoustic emission Tullio phenomenon
Pathway	inner ear: Hair cells → Spiral ganglion → Cochlear nerve ^VIII → pons: Cochlear nucleus (Anterior, Dorsal) → Trapezoid body → Superior olivary nuclei → midbrain: Lateral lemniscus → Inferior colliculi → thalamus: Medial geniculate nuclei → cerebrum: Acoustic radiation → Primary auditory cortex

Balance

General	Vestibular system
Pathway	inner ear: Vestibular nerve ^VIII → pons: Vestibular nuclei (Medial vestibular nucleus, Lateral vestibular nucleus) cerebellum: Flocculonodular lobe spinal cord: Vestibulospinal tract (Medial vestibulospinal tract, Lateral vestibulospinal tract) thalamus: Ventral posterolateral nucleus cerebrum: Vestibular cortex Vestibulo-oculomotor fibers