Page 6 - UNIT 3
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(2) From the periphery:

              The  cerebellum  receives  sensory  signals  directly  from  the  peripheral  parts  (muscle  spindle,  skin
              receptors…) of the body mainly through four tracts on each side, two of which are located dorsally in
              the cord and two ventrally. The two most important tracts are:



               When the information comes from the inferior (spinal cord, brain stem…), it goes to the cerebellum
               by the inferior cerebellar peduncle. When the information comes from the brain, it goes to the
               cerebellum by the superior cerebellar peduncle.

                    The  dorsal  spinocerebellar  tract:  it  enters  the  cerebellum  through  the  inferior  cerebellar
                     peduncle and terminates in the vermis and intermediate zones of the cerebellum on the same
                     side as its origin.
                           The signals transmitted come mainly from the muscle spindle and from other somatic
                            receptors  throughout  the  body  (such  as  the  Golgi  tendon  organs,  large  tactile
                            receptors…). These signals apprise the cerebellum second by second of the status of (1)
                            muscle contraction, (2) degree of tension on the muscle tendons, (3) position and rates
                            of movement of the parts of the body and (4) forces acting on the surfaces of the body.














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