Cerebellar projections from the cervical enlargement: an experimental study with silver impregnation and autoradiographic techniques in the cat.

The cerebellar projection of neurons in the cervical enlargement was investigated in cats using two neuroanatomical methods, the successive degeneration method (Sherrington and Laslett 1903) and the autoradiographic tracing technique (3H-leucine). With both methods projections were found to the anterior lobe, posterior vermis and paramedian lobule. In the anterior lobe the projection was bilateral mainly to the vermal part of lobules I-V and the adjoining part of lobule VI, although some projection was also observed bilaterally to lobules I-VI lateral to the vermis. In the posterior vermis projection was found bilaterally to lobule VIII and in neighboring parts of lobule VII B. In the paramedian lobule the projection was mainly ipsilateral to the lesions/injections to the pars copularis and the adjoining part of the pars posterior. Only minor differences between the two methods were noted. In conclusion, spinocerebellar neurons project mainly to the vermal area of the anterior lobe (including the most anterior part of lobule VI), to lobules VII B and VIII and to the ipsilateral paramedian lobule.