232:, including walking, balancing, and the ability to sit up, can be attributed to early patterns and pathways associated with the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and the pathways formed in the cerebellum that contribute to the learning of basic motor skills. The flocculus appears to be included in a VOR pathway that aids in the adaptation to a repeated shift in the visual field. A shift in the visual field affects an individual's spatial recognition. The leading research would suggest that the flocculus aids in the synchronization of eye and motor functions after a visual shift occurs in order for the visual field and the motor skills to function together. If this shift is repeated the flocculus essentially trains the brain to fully readjust to these repeated stimuli.
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325:, and both peripheral and central vision is affected by any loss or damage to the flocculus. These systems are affected because damage to the flocculus prevents any changes from being stored in regards to visual and motor communication, meaning that although the VOR is still intact these systems are unable to store changes in
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toward the affected side of the cerebellum. Nystagmus is the constant involuntary movements of the eyes; a patient can have either horizontal nystagmus (side-to-side eye movements), vertical nystagmus (up and down eye movements), or rotary nystagmus (circular eye movements). The flocculus also plays
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that project to different areas of the brain. Depending upon where stimulus occurs in the flocculus, signals can be projected to very different parts of the brain. The first and third zones of the flocculus project to the superior vestibular nucleus, the second and fourth zones project to the medial
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The idea that the flocculus is involved in motor learning gave rise to the “flocculus hypothesis.” This hypothesis argues that the flocculus plays a key role in the vestibulo-ocular system, most importantly the ability for the vestibular system to adapt to a shift in the visual field. The learning
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in the ventral pons, both of which are associated with projections to the cerebellum. Finally, pontocerebellar projections carry vestibulo-occular signals to the contralateral cerebellum via the middle cerebellar peduncle. The rostral half of the flocculus also receives mossy fiber projections from
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The anatomy of the flocculus shows that it is composed of two disjointed lobes or halves. The “halves” of the flocculus refer to the caudal half and the rostral half, and they indicate from where fiber projections are received and the path in which a signal travels. The caudal half of the flocculus
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that project into the flocculus, stimulating
Purkinje cells. Leading research would suggest that climbing fibers play a specific role in motor learning. The climbing fibers then send the image or projection to the part of the brain that receives electrical signals and generates movement. From the
156:. As a part of the cerebellum, the flocculus plays a part in the vestibulo-ocular reflex system, a system that controls the movement of the eye in coordination with movements of the head. There are five separate “zones” in the flocculus and two halves, the caudal and rostral half.
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pursuit, in which smooth tracking is replaced by simultaneous rapid movements, or jerking motions, of the eye to follow an object toward the ipsilateral visual field. These lesions also impair the ability to hold the eyes in the eccentric position, resulting in gaze-evoked
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The flocculus is a part of the vestibulo-ocular reflex system and is used to help stabilize gaze during head rotation about any axis of space. Neurons in both the vermis of cerebellum and flocculus transmit an eye velocity signal that correlates with
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Constituted by two disjointed-shaped lobes, the flocculus is positioned within the lowest level of the cerebellum. There are three main subdivisions in the cerebellum and the flocculus is contained within the most primitive the
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De Zeeuw, C. I.; Wylie, D. R.; Digiorgi, P. L.; Simpson, J. I. (1994). "Projections of individual purkinje cells of identified zones in the flocculus to the vestibular and cerebellar nuclei in the rabbit".
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At its base, the flocculus receives input from the inner ear's vestibular system and regulates balance. Many floccular projections connect to the motor nuclei involved in control of eye movement.
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Its lobes are linked through a circuit of neurons connecting to the vermis, the medial structure in the cerebellum. Extensions leave the base of the follucular's lobes which then connect to the
280:. The deficits observed in patients with lesions to this area resemble dose-dependent effects of alcohol on pursuit movements. Bilateral lesions of the flocculus reduce the gain of
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The flocculus is most important for the pursuit of movements with the eyes. Lesions in the flocculus impair control of the vestibulo-ocular reflex, and gaze holding also known as
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The flocculus has a complex circuitry that is reflected in the structure of the zones and halves. These "zones" of the flocculus refer to five separate groupings of
298:, a neurological disorder that results in the deterioration of the coordination of muscle movements, and unsteady bodily movements such as swaying and staggering.
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The flocculus is contained within the flocculonodular lobe which is connected to the cerebellum. The cerebellum is the section of the brain that is essential for
185:, an area within the floor of the midbrain that affects the axonal projections or images received by the cerebellum. Vestibular inputs are also carried through
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Schematic representation of the major anatomical subdivisions of the cerebellum. Superior view of an "unrolled" cerebellum, placing the vermis in one plane.
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Broussard, Dianne M.; Titley, Heather K.; Antflick, Jordan; Hampson, David R. (2011). "Motor learning in the VOR: The cerebellar component".
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130:. Like other parts of the cerebellum, the flocculus is involved in motor control. It is an essential part of the
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vestibular nucleus, and the fifth zone projects to the interposed posterior nucleus, a part of the cerebellum.
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Using Eye
Movements as an Experimental Probe of Brain Function - A Symposium in Honor of Jean BĂĽttner-Ennever
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Ito, M (1982). "Cerebellar
Control of the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex--Around the Flocculus Hypothesis".
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313:. Some symptoms of common vestibular diseases include: head tilting, an inability to stand,
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The conditions and systems associated with floccular loss are considered to be a subset of a
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260:. The cerebellum, which houses the flocculus, is located in the back and at the base of the
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carry information from the primary motor cortex. From there, projections are sent to the
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a role in keeping the body oriented in space. A lesion in this area will result in
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Galleries containing indiscriminate images of the article subject are discouraged
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141:; together, these two structures compose the vestibular part of the cerebellum.
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Lisberger, S. (1988). "The neural basis for learning of simple motor skills".
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at the posterior border of the middle cerebellar peduncle anterior to the
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This gallery of anatomic features needs cleanup to abide by the
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739:. Progress in Brain Research. Vol. 171. pp. 177–86.
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or eye movement as the head is rotated back and forth.
445:. Sutherland, Massachusetts: Sinauer Associates Inc.
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McDougal, David; Van
Lieshout, Dave; Harting, John.
359:; please improve or remove the gallery accordingly.
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733:. In Kennard, Christopher; Leigh, R. John (eds.).
712:The Central Nervous System Structure and Function
596:"Pontine Nuclei and Middle Cerebellar Penduncle"
223:Flocculus role In learning basic motor functions
693:Basic Neurosciences with Clinical Applications
810:
662:
660:
8:
782:at the University of Michigan Health System
667:Reitan, Ralph M.; Wolfson, Deborah (1998).
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1086:Bergmann glia cell = Golgi epithelial cell
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137:It is associated with the nodulus of the
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669:A Clinical Guide for Neuropsychologists
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48:. ("Flocculus" labeled at upper right.)
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122:, diminutive) is a small lobe of the
7:
469:The Journal of Comparative Neurology
527:10.1146/annurev.ne.05.030182.001423
183:tegmental pontine reticular nucleus
790:Neuroscience Information Framework
729:Dean, Paul; Porrill, John (2008).
14:
410:
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386:
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94:Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy
381:Human cerebellum anterior view
1:
1233:Ventral spinocerebellar tract
745:10.1016/S0079-6123(08)00624-9
515:Annual Review of Neuroscience
417:Cerebellum. Inferior surface.
405:Cerebellum. Inferior surface.
393:Cerebellum. Inferior surface.
1186:Dorsal spinocerebellar tract
278:vestibulocerebellar syndrome
177:projections mainly from the
691:Benarroch, Eduardo (2006).
623:Experimental Brain Research
1279:
1211:Trigeminocerebellar fibers
714:(2nd ed.). New York:
443:Neuroscience Fifth Edition
441:Purves, Dale, ed. (2012).
317:, dizziness, vomiting and
160:Circuitry of the flocculus
1205:Vestibulocerebellar tract
635:10.1007/s00221-011-2589-z
92:
37:
25:
949:Vallecula of cerebellum
716:Oxford University Press
573:10.1126/science.3055293
352:medical manual of style
244:10:Flocculonodular lobe
132:vestibulo-ocular reflex
1222:Pontocerebellar fibers
1007:Deep cerebellar nuclei
786:NIF Search - Flocculus
245:
1238:Dentatothalamic tract
1196:Cuneocerebellar tract
1191:Olivocerebellar tract
697:Butterworth–Heinemann
673:Neuropsychology Press
481:10.1002/cne.903490308
302:Associated conditions
272:Clinical significance
264:, directly above the
243:
192:corticopontine fibers
44:Anterior view of the
868:Flocculonodular lobe
710:Per, Brodal (1998).
1201:Juxtarestiform body
1115:Unipolar brush cell
1076:Purkinje cell layer
965:Alar central lobule
780:Atlas image: n2a7p4
671:. Tuscan, Arizona:
565:1988Sci...242..728L
251:vestibulocerebellum
1100:Granule cell layer
861:Horizontal fissure
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1049:Cerebellar cortex
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982:Cerebellar tonsil
754:978-0-444-53163-6
452:978-0-87893-646-5
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333:Additional images
323:equilibrioception
179:vestibular system
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1231:(midbrain):
1149:White matter
1125:Mossy fibers
1110:Granule cell
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1091:Fañanas cell
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604:. Retrieved
600:the original
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230:motor skills
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120:tuft of wool
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1184:(medulla):
1164:Arbor vitae
1067:Basket cell
998:Grey matter
362:(June 2015)
262:human brain
258:spinal cord
196:ipsilateral
175:mossy fiber
1263:Cerebellum
1105:Golgi cell
1027:Emboliform
1021:interposed
956:Hemisphere
830:cerebellum
521:: 275–96.
423:References
319:strabismus
308:vestibular
228:of basic
190:midbrain,
124:cerebellum
75:Vestibular
63:Cerebellum
46:cerebellum
1174:Peduncles
1039:Fastigial
972:posterior
927:posterior
873:Flocculus
291:nystagmus
266:brainstem
173:receives
148:Structure
112:flocculus
21:Flocculus
1257:Category
1229:Superior
1220:(pons):
1182:Inferior
1157:Internal
1123:Fibers:
960:anterior
905:anterior
788:via the
763:18718298
651:31829859
643:21336828
606:28 April
497:21175287
286:saccadic
236:Location
210:Function
1032:Globose
1015:Dentate
920:Lingula
837:Surface
828:of the
826:Anatomy
581:3055293
561:Bibcode
553:Science
535:6803651
489:7852634
311:disease
59:Part of
54:Details
1218:Middle
932:Folium
915:Culmen
901:Vermis
878:Nodule
761:
751:
649:
641:
579:
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495:
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449:
315:ataxia
296:ataxia
139:vermis
82:Artery
70:System
942:Uvula
937:Tuber
844:Lobes
647:S2CID
493:S2CID
116:Latin
98:[
759:PMID
749:ISBN
639:PMID
608:2013
577:PMID
531:PMID
485:PMID
447:ISBN
327:gain
202:the
181:and
110:The
87:AICA
741:doi
631:doi
627:210
569:doi
557:242
523:doi
477:doi
473:349
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
