inferior olivary nucleus (nucleus olivaris)

A large aggregate of densely packed neurons in the medulla. Efferents: connections of the inferior olive include: 1) projections to the contralateral half of the cerebellar cortex by way of the olivocerebellar tract 2) the inferior olive is the only source of cerebellar climbing fibers Afferents: connections to the inferior olive include: 1) fibers from the spinal cord 2) the dentate nucleus 3) the motor cortex; 4) central tegmental tract of midbrain (major input).

References

Stedman's Medical Dictionary 26th ed, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1995