The European journal of neuroscience
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The cerebellar and vestibular nuclei consist of a heterogeneous group of inhibitory and excitatory neurons. A major proportion of the inhibitory neurons provides a GABAergic feedback to the inferior olive, while the excitatory neurons exert more direct effects on motor control via non-olivary structures. At present is is not clear whether Purkinje cells innervate all types of neurons in the cerebellar and vestibular nuclei or whether an individual Purkinje cell axon can innervate different types of neurons. ⋯ Glycine-containing terminals were relatively scarce ( < 2% of the GABA-containing terminals) and frequently contacted the larger non-GABAergic, non-glycinergic neurons. To summarize, Purkinje cell axons evoke their effects through different types of neurons present in the cerebellar and vestibular nuclear complex. The observation that individual Purkinje cells can innervate both excitatory and inhibitory neurons suggests that the excitatory cerebellar output system and the inhibitory feedback to the inferior olive are controlled simultaneously.