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The spinocerebellar tracts

The cord's report to the cerebellum about where the body is. The cerebellum compares it with a copy of the motor command and corrects the movement.

Updated 2026-10-025 sources

Depth:

Why it matters

Smooth walking and reaching need the brain to know, moment by moment, where the limbs are. The cerebellum is largely responsible for comparing information from the cerebrum with sensory feedback from the periphery through the spinal cord [1]. The spinocerebellar tracts carry part of that feedback [2].

What it is

The spinocerebellar tract is a route for proprioceptive projections from the cord to the cerebellum [3]. It enters through the inferior cerebellar peduncle, which conveys sensory input to the cerebellum partly from the spinocerebellar tract and partly through fibres of the inferior olive [2].

The midline vermis of the cerebellum is called the spinocerebellum because it receives its input mainly from the dorsal columns and the spinocerebellar pathways [2]. In this site's cross-sections, the region drawn is the ventral spinocerebellar tract of the PAM50 white-matter atlas [4].

How it works

When the motor cortex sends a command to the cord to start walking, a copy of that instruction is sent to the cerebellum [1]. The cerebellum compares the command with the proprioceptive feedback and adjusts the descending input to correct the movement [2]. Its midline regions do this for balance and walking through the descending output of the red nucleus [2].

When it does not behave

When the cerebellum does not work properly, coordination and balance are severely affected [5]. The Romberg test can show problems with proprioceptive projections to the cerebellum through the spinocerebellar tract, as well as dorsal column deficits [3].

Common misconceptions

Misconception: All position sense reaches consciousness.

Part of it goes to the cerebellum, which uses it to correct movements by comparing it with the motor command [2].

Check yourself

Through which peduncle does spinocerebellar input enter the cerebellum?

The inferior cerebellar peduncle [2].

What does the cerebellum compare the feedback with?

A copy of the motor command sent from the cerebrum to the cord [1, 2].

Read next

References

  1. Betts JG, Young KA, Wise JA, Johnson E, Poe B, Kruse DH, et al.. 13.2 The Central Nervous System. Anatomy and Physiology 2e. OpenStax. 2022. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/13-2-the-central-nervous-system
  2. Betts JG, Young KA, Wise JA, Johnson E, Poe B, Kruse DH, et al.. 16.5 The Coordination and Gait Exams. Anatomy and Physiology 2e. OpenStax. 2022. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/16-5-the-coordination-and-gait-exams
  3. Betts JG, Young KA, Wise JA, Johnson E, Poe B, Kruse DH, et al.. 16.4 The Sensory and Motor Exams. Anatomy and Physiology 2e. OpenStax. 2022. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/16-4-the-sensory-and-motor-exams
  4. Lévy S, Benhamou M, Naaman C, Rainville P, Callot V, Cohen-Adad J. White matter atlas of the human spinal cord with estimation of partial volume effect. NeuroImage. 2015;119:262-271. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.06.040
  5. Betts JG, Young KA, Wise JA, Johnson E, Poe B, Kruse DH, et al.. 14.3 Motor Responses. Anatomy and Physiology 2e. OpenStax. 2022. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/14-3-motor-responses

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