The authors have a long-established interest in the cerebellum and its functions. The result is a thoughtfully organized and well-referenced book. The material collected is extensive and presented in a succinct manner.
There are two basic divisions. In the first nine chapters cerebellar anatomy and physiology are detailed, and a description of the newly found aminergic inputs is included. Theories on cerebellar mechanisms are presented, based on the cerebellum's multiple excitatory and inhibitory interconnections. In animals, the results of responses to distant stimuli, direct stimulation, and ablation are reviewed, with differences between subprimates and primates explained. The relationship between the cerebellum, muscle spindles, and hypotonia is also discussed. The role of the midline in truncal and postural stability and the lateral hemispheres in ballistic movements is stressed, but the lack of a precise topographic identification of the anatomy is acknowledged. In the end, it is conceded that the exact manner