Fastigial nucleus

Fastigial nucleus
Cross-section of the cerebellum. Fastigial nucleus labeled at top-right.
Details
Identifiers
Latin	Nucleus fastigii
NeuroLex ID	Fastigial nucleus
TA	A14.1.07.411
FMA	72537
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy []

The fastigial nucleus is located in the cerebellum. It is one of the four deep cerebellar nuclei (the others being the nucleus dentatus, nucleus emboliformis and nucleus globosus), and is grey matter embedded in the white matter of the cerebellum.

It refers specifically to the concentration of gray matter nearest to the middle line at the anterior end of the superior vermis, and immediately over the roof of the fourth ventricle, from which it is separated by a thin layer of white matter. It is smaller than the nucleus dentatus, but somewhat larger than the nucleus emboliformis and nucleus globosus.

Although it is one dense mass, it is made up of two sections: the rostral fastigial nucleus and the caudal fastigial nucleus.

The Purkinje cells of the cerebellar cortex project into the deep cerebellar nuclei and inhibit the excitatory output system via GABAergic synapses. The fastigial nucleus receives its input from Purkinje cells in the vermis. Most of its efferent connections travel via the inferior cerebellar peduncle to the vestibular nuclei, which are located at the junction of the pons and the medulla oblongata.

The fastigial nucleus sends excitatory projections beyond the cerebellum. The likely neurotransmitters of fastigial nucleus axons are glutamate and aspartate.