middle cerebellar peduncle (brachium pontis)

Efferents: - the largest of the 3 cerebellar peduncles carrying nerve fibers to the cerebellum (cerebellar input) - its fibers are largely distributed to the cerebellar cortex - cerebellar nuclei also receive some of the fibers. Origin: - it is composed largely of fibers that originate in the pontine nuclei Course: - fibers cross the midline in the basilar pons & emerge on the contralateral side as a bundle - the bundle of fibers arches dorsally along the lateral side of the pontine tegmentum into the cerebellum - some uncrossed pontocerebellar fibers are also found

References

Stedman's Medical Dictionary 27th ed, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999