Interposed nucleus
The interposed nucleus is the combined paired globose and emboliform nuclei, on either side of the cerebellum. It is located in the roof of the fourth ventricle, lateral to the fastigial nucleus. The emboliform nucleus is the anterior interposed nucleus, and the globose nucleus is the posterior interposed nucleus.
The interposed nucleus is responsible for coordinating agonist/antagonist muscle pairs, and therefore a lesion in this area causes tremor.
Anatomy
The interposed nucleus is located in the paravermis of the cerebellum.The interposed nucleus is smaller than the dentate but larger than the fastigial nucleus.
Afferents
The interposed nuclei receives Purkine cell terminal afferents from the paravermal cortex of the spinocerebellum, as well as collaterals of cerebellar afferents from the restiform body and ventral spinocerebellar tract.It receives input from the ipsilateral posterior external arcuate fibers and the dorsal spinocerebellar tract, which originate in the accessory cuneate nucleus and the posterior thoracic nucleus, respectively.
Efferents
Afferents from the interposed nuclei leave the cerebellum throughsuperior cerebellar peduncle. They project to:
- contralateral the red nucleus. The red nucleus is the main target of tne interposed nuclei.
- ipsilateral ventral lateral nucleus of thalamus.