Fastigial nucleus
The fastigial nucleus is located in each cerebellar hemisphere. It is one of the four paired deep cerebellar nuclei of the cerebellum.
It is made up of two sections: the rostral fastigial nucleus and the caudal fastigial nucleus.
Anatomy
The fastigial nuclei is situated atop the roof of the fourth ventricle.The fastigial nucleus is a mass of gray matter nearest to the middle line at the anterior end of the superior vermis, immediately over the roof of the fourth ventricle, from which it is separated by a thin layer of white matter.
It is smaller than the dentate nucleus, but somewhat larger than the emboliform nucleus and globose nucleus.
Afferents
The fastigial nucleus receives afferents from the vestibulocerebellar tract, and from Purkinje cells of the vestibulocerebellum cortex.Efferents
The fastigial nucleus projects efferents to: the medial, lateral and inferior vestibular nuclei, reticular formation, ventral lateral nucleus of thalamus, and cerebellar cortex. It gives rise to fastigiovestibular fibres, and fastigioreticular fibres: both leave the cerebellum via the juxtarestiform body of the inferior cerebellar peduncle.fastigiovestibular fibres project principally to the lateral and inferior vestibular nuclei to influence the vestibulospinal tract bilaterally;fastigioreticular fibres project to the reticular formation to influence the reticulospinal tracts.Through the vestibulospinal and reticulospinal tracts, the fastigial efferents are involved in regulation of balance and posture as well as axial and proximal limb musculature activity.