Modern Discoveries in Neuroscience... And What They Reveal About You (Collection)

2. Traditional Views of the Cerebellum

2-1. Introduction

The cerebellum is a regular part of the CNS in vertebrate animals. It is recognized in lampreys, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, up to humans. Among nonvertebrate animals, a cerebellum-like structure has been reported in octopus ganglia (Hochner et al., 2006), but its presence in other nonvertebrate species is unclear. The unique morphology of the cerebellum has been studied thoroughly for over a century. This led to the establishment of a map commonly applicable to various animals. Characteristically, the map initially involved the cerebellum’s connections with the vestibular nuclei in the medulla oblongata and with the spinal cord. The map then expanded in parallel with ...