Editing Cerebellum (section)

====Subdivisions====
[[File:CerebellumDiv.png|thumb|right|Schematic representation of the major anatomical subdivisions of the cerebellum. Superior view of an "unrolled" cerebellum, placing the vermis in one plane.]]
Based on the surface appearance, three [[Lobe (anatomy)|lobes]] can be distinguished within the cerebellum: the [[Anterior lobe of cerebellum|anterior lobe]] (above the [[Primary fissure of cerebellum|primary fissure]]), the [[Posterior lobe of cerebellum|posterior lobe]] (below the primary fissure), and the [[flocculonodular lobe]] (below the posterior fissure). These lobes divide the cerebellum from rostral to caudal (in humans, top to bottom). In terms of function, however, there is a more important distinction along the medial-to-lateral dimension. Leaving out the flocculonodular lobe, which has distinct connections and functions, the cerebellum can be parsed functionally into a medial sector called the [[spinocerebellum]] and a larger lateral sector called the [[cerebrocerebellum]].<ref name=Ghez/> A narrow strip of protruding tissue along the midline is called the [[cerebellar vermis]]. (''Vermis'' is Latin for "worm".)<ref name=Ghez/>

The smallest region, the flocculonodular lobe, is often called the [[vestibulocerebellum]]. It is the oldest part in evolutionary terms (archicerebellum) and participates mainly in [[sense of balance|balance]] and spatial orientation; its primary connections are with the [[vestibular nuclei]], although it also receives visual and other sensory input. Damage to this region causes [[balance disorder|disturbances of balance]] and [[gait (human)|gait]].<ref name=Ghez/>

The medial zone of the anterior and posterior lobes constitutes the spinocerebellum, also known as paleocerebellum. This sector of the cerebellum functions mainly to fine-tune body and limb movements. It receives [[proprioception|proprioceptive]] input from the dorsal columns of the [[spinal cord]] (including the [[spinocerebellar tract]]) and from the [[Cranial nerves|cranial]] [[trigeminal nerve]], as well as from visual and [[auditory system|auditory]] systems.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Snider RS, Stowell A |title=Receiving Areas of the Tactile, Auditory, and Visual Systems in the Cerebellum |journal=Journal of Neurophysiology |date=1 November 1944 |volume=7 |issue=6 |pages=331–357 |doi=10.1152/jn.1944.7.6.331 |s2cid=146700933 |doi-access=free }}</ref> It sends fibers to deep cerebellar nuclei that, in turn, project to both the cerebral cortex and the brain stem, thus providing modulation of descending motor systems.<ref name=Ghez/>

The lateral zone, which in humans is by far the largest part, constitutes the cerebrocerebellum, also known as neocerebellum. It receives input exclusively from the cerebral cortex (especially the [[parietal lobe]]) via the [[pontine nuclei]] (forming cortico-ponto-cerebellar pathways), and sends output mainly to the ventrolateral [[thalamus]] (in turn connected to motor areas of the [[premotor cortex]] and [[primary motor area]] of the cerebral cortex) and to the [[red nucleus]].<ref name=Ghez/> There is disagreement about the best way to describe the functions of the lateral cerebellum: It is thought to be involved in planning movement that is about to occur,<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Kingsley RE |title=Concise Text of Neuroscience |edition=2nd |publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |year=2000 |isbn=978-0-683-30460-2}}</ref> in evaluating sensory information for action,<ref name=Ghez/> and in a number of purely cognitive functions, such as determining the verb which best fits with a certain noun (as in "sit" for "chair").<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Petersen SE, Fox PT, Posner MI, Mintun M, Raichle ME | title = Positron emission tomographic studies of the processing of single words | journal = Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience | volume = 1 | issue = 2 | pages = 153–70 | year = 1989 | pmid = 23968463 | doi = 10.1162/jocn.1989.1.2.153 | s2cid = 35159122 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Timmann D, Daum I | title = Cerebellar contributions to cognitive functions: a progress report after two decades of research | journal = Cerebellum | volume = 6 | issue = 3 | pages = 159–62 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17786810 | doi = 10.1080/14734220701496448 | s2cid = 25671398 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Strick PL, Dum RP, Fiez JA | s2cid = 1066141 | title = Cerebellum and nonmotor function | journal = Annual Review of Neuroscience | volume = 32 | pages = 413–34 | year = 2009 | pmid = 19555291 | doi = 10.1146/annurev.neuro.31.060407.125606 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Buckner RL | title = The cerebellum and cognitive function: 25 years of insight from anatomy and neuroimaging | journal = Neuron | volume = 80 | issue = 3 | pages = 807–15 | date = October 2013 | pmid = 24183029 | doi = 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.10.044 | doi-access = free }}</ref>