Middle cerebellar peduncles

Brain: Middle cerebellar peduncles
Dissection showing the projection fibers of the cerebellum. (Middle peduncle labeled at upper right.)
Latin	p. cerebellaris medius
NeuroNames	hier-616
Dorlands/Elsevier	p_10/12622515

The middle cerebellar peduncles (brachia pontis) are composed entirely of centripetal fibers, which arise from the cells of the nuclei pontis of the opposite side and end in the cerebellar cortex; the fibers are arranged in three fasciculi, superior, inferior, and deep.

• The superior fasciculus, the most superficial, is derived from the upper transverse fibers of the pons; it is directed backward and lateralward superficial to the other two fasciculi, and is distributed mainly to the lobules on the inferior surface of the cerebellar hemisphere and to the parts of the superior surface adjoining the posterior and lateral margins.

• The inferior fasciculus is formed by the lowest transverse fibers of the pons; it passes under cover of the superior fasciculus and is continued downward and backward more or less parallel with it, to be distributed to the folia on the under surface close to the vermis.

• The deep fasciculus comprises most of the deep transverse fibers of the pons. It is at first covered by the superior and inferior fasciculi, but crosses obliquely and appears on the medial side of the superior, from which it receives a bundle; its fibers spread out and pass to the upper anterior cerebellar folia. The fibers of this fasciculus cover those of the restiform body.

Additional images

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  Scheme showing the connections of the several parts of the brain.

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  Superficial dissection of brain-stem. Lateral view.

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  Hind- and mid-brains; postero-lateral view.

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  Upper part of medulla spinalis and hind- and mid-brains; posterior aspect, exposed in situ.

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.