Fastigial modulation of brainstem behavioral mechanisms.

Stimulation of the rostral, but not caudal, half of the cerebellar fastigial nucleus was found to induce coordinated eating and grooming behaviors in the cat. These behaviors persisted, unchanged, after lesions of the ascending fastigial projections in the superior cerebellar peduncle, suggesting that such behaviors are produced by direct fastigio-bulbar pathways. These results support the suggestion that there is a close anatomical association between fastigial systems mediating elicited behaviors and those mediating fastigial pressor responses. The present results are also consistent with the growing view that cerebellar systems can exert important modulatory influences on neurobehavioral mechanisms.