Summary
The preceding two papers gave accounts of mossy fiber (MF) or of climbing fiber (CF) inputs to Purkyně cells under conditions where the other input was depressed by the experimental procedure. By utilizing either chloralose anesthesia or decerebration with sparing of the pyramidal tracts it has been possible to study the convergence of MF and CF inputs onto single Purkyně cells. The stimulation of cutaneous mechanoreceptors, the recording procedures for unitary Purkyně cell discharges and the computer averaging techniques were as previously described.
Testing by taps to the footpads evoked a combined MF and CF response more commonly than either response alone, and often both inputs were very effective. There was a tendency for such phasic CF responses to be more frequently observed than the tonic responses to pad pressure, but such responses did occur.
Purkyně cells were located by the usual procedure along the microelectrode tracks later identified in serial sections. Those cells activated by the fast MF inputs from the pad receptors were found to be closely associated in groups or colonies. The delayed MF inputs probably via spino-reticular pathways were more widely dispersed. The topographical relationships of these colonies are displayed on maps of the unfolded cerebellar cortex for lobules II to VI of both vermis and pars intermedia. In general these distributions of Purkyně cells activated from forefoot and hindfoot appear as islands in the larger fields that degeneration procedures exhibit for the cuneocerebellar and dorsal spinocerebellar tracts respectively. The CF inputs from the footpads also project to these same colonies, so that there are conjoint MF and CF colonies.
The several modalities of the cutaneous mechanoreceptors of the forefoot or hindfoot often participate in the receptive fields of individual Purkyně cells. Such a field may be restricted to one or other side of the foot, all tested cutaneous mechanoreceptors then sharing approximately in the same restriction. Finally it is shown how these experimental findings relate to the theories of cerebellar function, particularly to the dynamic loop hypothesis.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Bloedel, J.R., Burton, J.E.: Electrophysiological evidence for a mossy fiber input to the cerebellar cortex activated indirectly by collaterals of spinocerebellar pathways. J. Neurophysiol. 33, 308–320 (1970).
Braitenberg, V., Atwood, R.P.: Morphological observations on the cerebellar cortex. J. comp. Neurol. 109, 1–34 (1958).
Combs, C.M.: Electro-anatomical study of cerebellar localization. Stimulation of various afferents. J. Neurophysiol. 17, 123–143 (1954).
Eccles, J.C.: Circuits in the cerebellar control of movement. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 58, 336–343 (1967).
—: The dynamic loop hypothesis of movement control. In: Information processing in the nervous system. Ed. by K.N. Leibovic. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1969.
—, Faber, D.S., Murphy, J.T., Sabah, N.H., Táboříková, H.: Afferent volleys in limb nerves influencing impulse discharges in cerebellar cortex. I. In mossy fibers and granule cells. Exp. Brain Res. 13, 15–35 (1971a).
—: Afferent volleys in limb nerves influencing impulse discharges in cerebellar cortex. II. In Purkyně cells. Exp. Brain Res. 13, 36–53 (1971b).
—: Investigations on integration of mossy fiber inputs to Purkyně cells in the anterior lobe. Exp. Brain Res. 13, 54–77 (1971c).
—, Ito, M., Szentágothai, J.: The cerebellum as a neuronal machine. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1967.
—, Provini, L., Strata, P., Táboříková, H.: Analysis of electrical potentials evoked in the cerebellar anterior lobe by stimulation of hindlimb and forelimb nerves. Exp. Brain Res. 6, 171–194 (1968a).
—: Topographical investigations on the climbing fiber inputs from forelimb and hindlimb afferents to the cerebellar anterior lobe. Exp. Brain Res. 6, 195–215 (1968b).
—, Sabah, N.H., Schmidt, R.F., Táboříková, H.: Cerebellar Purkyně cell responses to cutaneous mechanoreceptors. Brain Res. 30, 419–424 (1971).
—: Cutaneous mechanoreceptors influencing impulse discharges in cerebellar cortex. I. In mossy fibers. Exp. Brain Res. 15, 245–260 (1972a).
—: Cutaneous mechanoreceptors influencing impulse discharges in cerebellar cortex. II. In Purkyně cells by mossy fiber inputs. Exp. Brain Res. 15, 261–277 (1972b).
Eccles, J.C., Sabah, N.H., Schmidt, R.F., Táboříková, H.: Cutaneous mechanoreceptors influencing impulse discharges in cerebellar cortex. III. In Purkyně cells by climbing fiber input. Exp. Brain Res. 15, 484–497 (1972c).
—: A study of the cutaneous mechanoreceptors modalities projecting to the cerebellum. In: The somatosensory system. Ed. by H.H. Kornhuber. Stuttgart: Thieme 1972d.
—, Táboříková, H.: Responses of fastigial neurones to stimulation of cutaneous mechanoreceptors. Brain Res. 35, 523–527 (1971).
—, Sasaki, K., Strata, P.: The profiles of physiological events produced by a parallel fibre volley in the cerebellar cortex. Exp. Brain Res. 2, 18–34 (1966).
Faber, D.S., Ishikawa, K., Rowe, M.J.: The responses of cerebellar Purkyně cells to muscle vibration. Brain Res. 26, 184–187 (1971).
Ferin, M., Grigorian, R.A., Strata, P.: Mossy and climbing fibre activation in the cat cerebellum by stimulation of the labyrinth. Exp. Brain Res. 12, 1–17 (1971).
Grant, G.: Spinal course and somatotopically localized termination of the spinocerebellar tracts. An experimental study in the cat. Acta physiol. scand. 56, Suppl.193, 5–42 (1962a).
—: Projection of the external cuneate nucleus onto the cerebellum in the cat. An experimental study using silver methods. Exp. Neurol. 5, 179–195 (1962b).
Hunt, C.G., McIntyre, A.K.: An analysis of fibre diameter and receptor characteristics of myelinated cutaneous afferent fibres in cat. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 153, 99–112 (1960).
Ishikawa, K., Kawaguchi, S., Rowe, M.J.: Actions of afferent impulses from muscle receptors on cerebellar Purkyně cells. I. Responses to muscle vibration. Exp. Brain Res. 15, 177–193 (1972).
Kitai, S.T., Táboříková, H., Tsukahara, N., Eccles, J.C.: The distribution to the cerebellar anterior lobe of the climbing and mossy fiber inputs from the plantar and palmar cutaneous afferents. Exp. Brain Res. 7, 1–10 (1969).
Larsell, O.: The cerebellum of the cat and the monkey. J. comp. Neurol. 99, 135–199 (1953).
Marr, D.: A theory of the cerebellar cortex. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 202, 437–470 (1969).
Oscarsson, O.: Functional significance of information channels from the spinal cord to the cerebellum. In: Neurophysiological Basis of Normal and Abnormal Motor Activities, pp. 93–108. Ed. by M.D. Yahr and D.P. Purpura. New York: Raven Press 1967.
—: The sagittal organization of the cerebellar anterior lobe as revealed by the projection patterns of the climbing fiber activation. In: Neurobiology of Cerebellar Evolution and Development, pp. 525–537. Ed. by R. Llinás. Chicago: Am. Med. Assoc./Educ. Res. Found. 1969.
—, Rosén, I.: Response characteristics of reticulocerebellar neurones activated from spinal afferents. Exp. Brain Res. 1, 320–328 (1966).
—, Uddenberg, N.: Somatotopic termination of spino-olivo-cerebellar path. Brain Res. 3, 204–207 (1966).
Palkovits, M., Magyar, P., Szentágothai, J.: Quantitative histological analysis of the cerebellar cortex in the cat. I. Number and arrangement in space of the Purkinje cells Brain Res. 32, 1–13 (1971).
Provini, L., Redman, S., Strata, P.: Somatotopic organization of mossy and climbing fibres to the anterior lobe of cerebellum activated by thesensorimotorcortex. Brain Res. 6, 378–381 (1967).
Schmidt, R.F.: Spinal cord afferents: Functional organization and inhibitory control. In: The Interneuron, pp. 209–229. ed byM.A.B. Brazier. Los Angeles: UCLA Forum in Medical Sciences 1969.
Szentágothai, J.: Structure-functional considerations of the cerebellar neuron network. Proc. of the I.E.E.E. 56, 960–968 (1968).
Thach, W.T.: Somatosensory receptive fields of single units in cat cerebellar cortex. J. Neurophysiol. 30, 675–696 (1967).
—: Discharge of cerebellar neurons related to two maintained postures and two prompt movements. II. Purkinje cell output and input. J. Neurophysiol. 33, 537–547 (1970).
Voogd, J.: The cerebellum of the cat. Assen: Van Gorcum & Comp., N.V. 1964.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Eccles, J.C., Sabah, N.H., Schmidt, R.F. et al. Integration by Purkyně cells of mossy and climbing fiber inputs from cutaneous mechanoreceptors. Exp Brain Res 15, 498–520 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236405
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236405