Termination and functional organization of the ventral spino-olivocerebellar path.

1. The spino-olivocerebellar path ascending through the ventral funiculus (VF-SOCP) was investigated in decerebrate cats with the cord transected in the third cervical segment except for the left ventral funiculus. The climbing fibre responses evoked in Purkinje cells were studied by recording from single cells and by recording the mass activity at the cerebellar surface or in the molecular layer.2. In the spinal cord the forelimb component of the VF-SOCP occupies a medial part and the hind limb component a lateral part of the ventral funiculus.3. The main projection of the limb nerves through the VF-SOCP is to the lateral two thirds of the vermis of the anterior lobe. The projection area consists of three sagittally arranged bands: a lateral band receiving olivary axons activated exclusively from the ipsilateral hind limb, an intermediate band receiving olivary axons activated bilaterally from the hind limbs, and a medial band receiving olivary axons activated bilaterally from the forelimbs. Some olivary neurones are activated from all four limbs.4. The latency of the climbing fibre responses was about 22 msec on stimulation of ipsilateral hind limb nerves and about 20 msec on stimulation of ipsilateral forelimb nerves. The responses evoked from contralateral nerves had a latency which was about 3 msec longer than the latency of the corresponding ipsilateral responses.5. The olivary neurones were usually activated from all tested muscle and skin nerves in the limb(s) constituting the receptive field. Cutaneous afferents and groups II and III muscle afferents were responsible for the excitation elicited by single shock stimulation of the nerves. Brief repetitive stimulation revealed additional activation from mainly Ib, but also Ia, afferents in ipsilateral hind limb nerves.6. Natural stimulation of receptors evoked responses in about half of the olivary neurones tested. The responses were elicited by strong pressure against deep structures. Inhibitory effects were seldom observed.