superior cerebellar peduncle (brachium conjunctivum)

Afferents: - the most superior of the 3 large paired bundles carrying nerve fibers from the cerebellum (output of cerebellum). Origin: - fibers originate from the dentate nucleus & interpositus nucleus & emerge from the cerebellum in the rostral direction, along the lateral wall of the 4th ventricle. - the bundle submerges from the dorsal surface of the brainstem into the mesencephalic tegmentum, where most of the fibers cross the midline Efferents: - part of the bundle terminates in the contralateral red nucleus - the majority of fibers continue rostrally to the thalamus - thalamic nuclei receiving cerebellar fibers via the superior cerebellar peduncle include: - ventral intermediate nucleus - ventral posterolateral nucleus - central lateral nucleus

References

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