ArticlesAnatomyNeuroanatomyCerebellumCerebellum gross anatomy

ArticlesAnatomyNeuroanatomyCerebellumCerebellum gross anatomy

Cerebellum gross anatomy

Author: Lorenzo Crumbie, MBBS, BSc • Reviewer: Dimitrios Mytilinaios, MD, PhD
Last reviewed: October 30, 2023
Reading time: 12 minutes

There are over 206 bones in the human body that are interconnected by a myriad of ligaments. They provide support for over 650 skeletal muscles that facilitate the process of locomotion. While these skeletal muscles are mostly under the influence of the somatic nervous system, there are involuntary impulses that help in the maintenance of muscle tone, balance and posture.

These impulses are generated and regulated at the level of the cerebellum. In addition to the aforementioned tasks, the cerebellum is also responsible for the coordination of volitional activities such as the acrobatics performed while rushing to get dressed at 7:59 am for that 8:00 am anatomy class.

This article will be centred on the general structure and organization of the cerebellum and its blood supply.

Key facts about the cerebellum
Location	Posterior cranial fossa
Relations	Superior: tentorium cerebelli, great cerebral vein, lingual gyrus Anterior: brainstem, medullary vela, cerebral aqueduct, corpora quadrigemini, posterior cerebellomedullary cistern, foramen of Magendie, medulla oblongata, foramen magnum Posterior & lateral: occipital bone, sigmoid sinus, occipital sinus, confluence of sinuses
Fissures	Horizontal, posterolateral, superior posterior (postlunate), primary, retrotonsillar fissures
Lobes	Anterior, posterior, flocculonodular lobes
Lobules	Central vermal: Lingula, Central, Culmen, Declive, Folium, Tuber, Pyramid, Uvula, Nodule ('Loving Caring Children Donate Food To Poor Unfed Needy') Horizontal: quadrangular, simple, superior semilunar, inferior semilunar, biventer, cerebellar tonsils
Blood supply	Superior cerebellar, anterior inferior cerebellar, posterior inferior cerebellar arteries

Contents

Origin and location
Relations
Surfaces
Fissures
Lobes
Lobules
1. Central vermal lobules
2. Horizontal lobules
Cerebellar peduncles
1. Superior
2. Middle
3. Inferior
Blood supply
Highlights
Sources

+ Show all

Origin and location

The cerebellum arises from the rhombencephalon or hindbrain. More specifically, it arises from the rhombic lips or alar plates (dorsal thickening of the neural tube that forms the sensory areas of the nervous system) of the metencephalon (spans between the pontine flexure and the rhombencephalic isthmus).

It is an ovoid structure that resides in the posterior cranial fossa, inferior to the tentorium cerebelli. It has an outer grey matter cortex and white matter internally.

Relations

Superior

As previously mentioned, the cerebellum is located in the posterior cranial fossa, inferior to the tentorium cerebelli. The great cerebral vein of Galen is located anterosuperior to the cerebellum. It continues into the straight sinus (in the midline of the tentorium cerebelli), which has a direct superior relation to the cerebellum. The lingual gyrus of the occipital lobe is also superior to the cerebellum.

Anterior

There are several relevant anterior relations to the cerebellum. These include the brainstem, and superior and inferior medullary vela (s. velum), which covers the fourth ventricle. The distal end of the cerebral aqueduct of Sylvius, and the corpora quadrigemini and its respective cistern is anterosuperior with respect to the cerebellum

The posterior cerebellomedullary cistern, the foramen of Magendie, medulla oblongata and the foramen magnum are all located anteroinferiorly. It should also be noted that like the rest of the brain, the cerebellum is bathed in cerebrospinal fluid that enter the cisterns from the aforementioned foramen of Magendie and foramina of Luschka.

Posterior and lateral

Posterior and lateral to the cerebellum are the occipital bone and its overlying layer of dura mater. The sigmoid sinuses are also found inferiorly, and the occipital sinus (if present) and the confluence of sinuses are both posteriorly related.

Surfaces

When viewed from the superior (tentorial) surface, it is easy to appreciate that the cerebellum has a central, vertically protruding structure that runs anteroposteriorly known as the superior vermis. The superior vermis commences at the anterior cerebellar notch, and then curves 180 degrees at the posterior cerebellar notch. It continues along the midline of the inferior (occipital) surface as the inferior vermis. Bilateral to the vermis (both superior and inferior) are the cerebellar hemispheres.

Fissures

There are several horizontal grooves along both surfaces of the cerebellum that give it a stratified appearance. However, some are more prominent than others and provide ideal demarcations for the lobes and lobules. One such groove is the horizontal fissure, which arcs around the cerebellum along its lateral and posterior margins to the point of the posterolateral fissure (inferior to the flocculonodular lobe).

Additionally, there is the postlunate fissure that arcs from left to right across the tentorial cerebellar surface. This is posterior to the primary fissure that forms the main demarcation between the anterior and posterior lobes. Both the primary and postlunate fissures continue along the inferior surface of the cerebellum. Finally, there is a retrotonsillar fissure that grooves behind each cerebellar tonsil.

Lobes

There are three main lobes, nine lobules along the vermis, and five hemispheric lobules. The anterior lobe extends from the level of the cerebellar peduncles anteriorly and includes the anterior two-thirds of the superior vermis, along with the anterior third of each hemisphere. This lobe terminates at the primary fissure.

From this point posteriorly and laterally and continuing along the inferior surface to the posterolateral fissure is the larger posterior lobe. The smallest of the lobes is the flocculonodular lobe. It is a flattened lobe that lies between the posterolateral fissure (inferiorly) and the inferior medullary velum and the cerebellar peduncles (superiorly).

Lobules

Central vermal lobules

The vermal lobules are assigned Roman Numerals I – X. They can be better appreciated when the cerebellum is divided along the midline of the vermis. In this section, the cerebellum has a cauliflower appearance and the lobules are numbered in a clockwise manner, with the apex of the first lobule at the 10:00 position. The lobules can be better remembered with the aid of the following mnemonic: “Loving Caring Children Donate Food To Poor Unfed Needy”.

L – Lingula (I) [10:00]
C – Central lobule (II & III)
C – Culmen (IV & V) [11:00 – 1:00]
D – Declive (VI) [2:00]
F – Folium (VII A) [3:00]
T – Tuber (VII B) [4:00]
P – Pyramid (VIII) [5:00]
U – Uvula (IX) [7:00]
N – Nodule (X) [9:00]

Lobules I – V are a part of the anterior lobe along the superior vermis. Lobules VI – VII A are also along the superior vermis, but in the posterior lobe. Lobules VII B – IX are also in the posterior lobe but on the inferior vermis. Lobule X is on the inferior vermis, but is a part of the flocculonodular lobe. The entire vermis gains its afferents from the spinocerebellar tracts and sends its information to the fastigial nucleus.

Horizontal lobules

In addition to the central vermal lobules, there are horizontal lobules that are also assigned Roman Numerals, but with the letter “H” before it, denoting it is a part of the hemispheres.

Quadrangular lobule (H IV – V) - It is located anterior to the primary fissure.
Simple lobule (H VI) - It is situated between the primary and the postlunate fissures.
Superior semilunar lobule (H VII A) - The region runs from the postlunate fissure to the horizontal fissure.
Inferior semilunar lobule (H VII B) - It continues from the horizontal fissure to the postlunate fissure on the inferior surface of the cerebellum.
Biventer lobule (H VIII) - Its border is formed by the retrotonsillar fissure (anteriorly) and the postlunate fissure on the inferior surface (posteriorly).
Cerebellar tonsils - They are a characteristic feature of the inferior surface of the posterior lobe. They are triangular structures that border the distal inferior vermis.

Cerebellar peduncles

There are three foot processes that not only anchor the cerebellum to the brainstem, but also provide a pathway for neuronal tracts to travel to and from the cerebellum. These structures are the superior, middle and inferior cerebellar peduncles. The connections between the cerebellum and the respective parts of the brainstem are given below:

to midbrain: superior cerebellar peduncles
to pons: middle cerebellar peduncles
to medulla: inferior cerebellar peduncles

Superior

The superior cerebellar peduncle provides a pathway for nerve fibers of the cerebellar nuclei to leave for their destination in the thalamus and for the fastigial fibers to send information to the vestibular nuclei. Additionally, impulses enter the cerebellum by this pathway from the ventral spinocerebellar tract (proprioception), trigeminal nucleus and the locus coeruleus.

Middle

The middle cerebellar peduncle provides a pathway for afferent pontocerebellar fibers to enter the neocerebellum (bilateral to the paravermal zone, which is bilateral to the vermal zone).

Inferior

Thirdly, the inferior cerebellar peduncle carries afferent and efferent fibers by two pathways. The first, which carries dorsal spinocerebellar, olivocerebellar and cuneocerebellar fibers, is the restiform body that carries only afferent fibers. The second is the juxtarestiform body that carries both afferent (vestibulocerebellar) and efferent (cerebellovestibular) fibers.

Test your knowledge on the gross anatomy of the cerebellum with this quiz.

Blood supply

The vertebrobasilar system arises from the first part of the subclavian arteries and travels cranially through the transverse foramina of the upper six cervical vertebrae. The left and right vertebral arteries unite after they enter the cranial vault through the foramen magnum at the pontomedullary junction. Here it forms the basilar artery.

Three main branches provide vascular supply to the cerebellum, two of which arise from the basilar component of the system and one arises from each vertebral branch of the system.

The first branch from the basilar artery is the superior cerebellar artery. It arises bilaterally and inferior to CN III. It provides perfusion for the superior cerebellar region along with the superior medullary velum, pineal gland and pons.
The anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) arises inferior to CN VI at the pontomedullary junction at the proximal part of the basilar artery. It then courses posterolateral to supply the inferior and anterior cerebellar regions.
Thirdly, a posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) arises from each vertebral artery, just superior to the rootlet of CN XI. It provides arterial blood to the cerebellar nuclei and its inferior surface (including the vermis).

Highlights

The cerebellum is a structure that arises from the rhombencephalon or hindbrain. It is located in the posterior cranial fossa inferior to the tentorium cerebelli.
It has a superior (tentorial) surface that houses the superior vermis and an inferior (occipital) surface for the inferior vermis.
There are several horizontal grooves along both surfaces of the cerebellum that give it a stratified appearance. The most prominent ones are the horizontal, posterolateral, postlunate, primary and retrotonsillar fissures. These fissures divide the cerebellum into three main lobes, which are the anterior, posterior and flocculonodular lobes.
In addition to the lobes, the cerebellar hemispheres consist of lobules. There are nine central vermal ones six horizontal ones.
The cerebellum is connected to the brainstem via three cerebellar peduncles (superior, middle and inferior). In addition to providing anchorage, these peduncles allow afferent and efferent nerve fibers and tracts to enter and leave the cerebellum.
The blood supply to the cerebellum is via three main branches of the basilar artery. These are the superior cerebellar, anterior inferior cerebellar and posterior inferior cerebellar arteries.

Sources

All content published on Kenhub is reviewed by medical and anatomy experts. The information we provide is grounded on academic literature and peer-reviewed research. Kenhub does not provide medical advice. You can learn more about our content creation and review standards by reading our content quality guidelines.

References:

Fix, J. (2002). Neuroanatomy. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, pp.251-257.
Hansen, J., Koeppen, B., Netter, F., Craig, J. and Perkins, J. (2002). Atlas of Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology. Teterboro, N.J.: Icon Custom Communication, pp.11, 12, 14, 16.
Netter, F. (2014). Atlas of Human Anatomy. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders: Elsevier, pp.105, 107, 110, 114.
Snell, R. (2010). Clinical Neuroanatomy. 7th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, pp.431-433, 475-477.

Illustrators:

Overview of the cerebellum - Paul Kim

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