Somatotopic mapping

Climbing fiber input and Mossy fiber input are organized topographically, providing somatotopic maps in the cerebellar cortex which are retained in the deep cerebellar nuclei, and in their outcome to the thalamus and red nucleus. The cerebellar cortex has numerous maps that exhibit fractured somatotopy as shown in figure below and encode visual and auditory input from the tectum and also somatosensory input. Each of these representations is really three maps in register. One is created by mossy fiber input, second is corticopontine input and the third is an output map which conserves a somatotopic projection of movements.

Figure: Somatotopic maps in: (a) cerebellar cortex based on inputs and clinical lesions, the fractured nature of these inputs revealed by detailed studies is not shown; (b) deep cerebellar nucleus.