Functions of cerebellum MCQs With Answer

Functions of cerebellum MCQs With Answer is an essential review for B.Pharm students focusing on cerebellar roles in motor coordination, balance, muscle tone, motor learning, and eye movement control. This concise, exam-oriented guide links anatomy, physiology, clinical signs and neuropharmacology — covering Purkinje cell circuitry, mossy and climbing fibers, deep cerebellar nuclei, blood supply, lesion syndromes and drug-induced cerebellar toxicity. Targeted keywords such as Functions of cerebellum, MCQs, B.Pharm, cerebellar lesions, motor coordination, and neuropharmacology ensure relevance for pharmacy curricula and competitive exams. Practical clinical correlations and mechanism-based questions deepen understanding for therapeutics and patient care. Now let’s test your knowledge with 50 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. Which is the primary function of the cerebellum?

• Coordination of voluntary movement
• Regulation of hypothalamic hormones
• Long-term memory consolidation
• Nociception and pain modulation

Correct Answer: Coordination of voluntary movement

Q2. Which neuron type serves as the chief output of the cerebellar cortex?

• Purkinje cell
• Granule cell
• Golgi cell
• Bipolar cell

Correct Answer: Purkinje cell

Q3. Which deep cerebellar nucleus is primarily associated with planning and initiation of voluntary movements?

• Dentate nucleus
• Fastigial nucleus
• Emboliform nucleus
• Vestibular nucleus

Correct Answer: Dentate nucleus

Q4. Which fibers arise from the inferior olivary nucleus and make powerful synapses on Purkinje cells?

• Climbing fibers
• Mossy fibers
• Parallel fibers
• Basket fibers

Correct Answer: Climbing fibers

Q5. What is the main neurotransmitter released by Purkinje cells?

• GABA
• Glutamate
• Dopamine
• Acetylcholine

Correct Answer: GABA

Q6. Which cerebellar peduncle primarily connects the cerebellum to the midbrain?

• Superior cerebellar peduncle
• Middle cerebellar peduncle
• Inferior cerebellar peduncle
• Cerebral peduncle

Correct Answer: Superior cerebellar peduncle

Q7. Which functional division of the cerebellum is most involved in motor planning and learning?

• Cerebrocerebellum (lateral hemisphere)
• Spinocerebellum (vermis and intermediate)
• Vestibulocerebellum (flocculonodular lobe)
• Reticular cerebellum

Correct Answer: Cerebrocerebellum (lateral hemisphere)

Q8. The spinocerebellum primarily receives afferent input from which source?

• Spinal cord proprioceptive pathways
• Visual cortex
• Auditory nuclei
• Olfactory bulb

Correct Answer: Spinal cord proprioceptive pathways

Q9. Which lobe of the cerebellum is most important for balance and vestibular reflexes?

• Flocculonodular lobe
• Lateral hemisphere
• Anterior lobe
• Posterior lobe

Correct Answer: Flocculonodular lobe

Q10. What term describes the inability to accurately judge the distance or range of a movement?

• Dysmetria
• Dysarthria
• Aphasia
• Hyperreflexia

Correct Answer: Dysmetria

Q11. Which clinical finding indicates impaired rapid alternating movements?

• Dysdiadochokinesia
• Bradykinesia
• Clonus
• Hypertonia

Correct Answer: Dysdiadochokinesia

Q12. An intention tremor is characteristically observed when?

• During a goal-directed voluntary movement
• At rest and suppressed by voluntary movement
• Only during sleep
• Exclusively during sustained posture

Correct Answer: During a goal-directed voluntary movement

Q13. Cerebellar lesions typically produce which change in muscle tone?

• Hypotonia
• Hypertonia
• Spasticity
• Lead-pipe rigidity

Correct Answer: Hypotonia

Q14. Which ocular sign is commonly associated with cerebellar dysfunction?

• Nystagmus
• Miosis
• Anisocoria
• Ptosis

Correct Answer: Nystagmus

Q15. Which artery supplies the superior part of the cerebellum and is often implicated in lateral cerebellar infarcts?

• Superior cerebellar artery (SCA)
• Anterior choroidal artery
• Posterior cerebral artery
• Middle cerebral artery

Correct Answer: Superior cerebellar artery (SCA)

Q16. Synaptic long-term depression at the parallel fiber–Purkinje cell synapse is most closely linked to which process?

• Motor learning and adaptive coordination
• Acute nociceptive reflexes
• Memory consolidation in hippocampus
• Autonomic regulation

Correct Answer: Motor learning and adaptive coordination

Q17. Mossy fibers conveying corticopontine information predominantly arise from which structure?

• Pontine nuclei
• Inferior olivary nucleus
• Vestibular nuclei
• Red nucleus

Correct Answer: Pontine nuclei

Q18. Which small excitatory interneurons give rise to parallel fibers in the cerebellar cortex?

• Granule cells
• Basket cells
• Golgi cells
• Purkinje cells

Correct Answer: Granule cells

Q19. A lesion of the cerebellar vermis most commonly produces which clinical feature?

• Truncal ataxia (postural instability)
• Pure limb weakness
• Loss of fine touch on one side
• Memory impairment

Correct Answer: Truncal ataxia (postural instability)

Q20. Which bedside test is classically used to assess upper limb cerebellar coordination?

• Finger–nose test
• Babinski sign
• Two-point discrimination
• Heel-to-shin test

Correct Answer: Finger–nose test

Q21. Cerebellar damage can cause a characteristic speech disturbance known as:

• Scanning speech (ataxic dysarthria)
• Broca’s aphasia
• Wernicke’s aphasia
• Spasmodic dysphonia

Correct Answer: Scanning speech (ataxic dysarthria)

Q22. Which interneuron in the cerebellar cortex provides feedforward inhibition to Purkinje cells?

• Basket cell
• Granule cell
• Pyramidal cell
• Stellate cell

Correct Answer: Basket cell

Q23. Increased firing of Purkinje cells produces what effect on deep cerebellar nuclei?

• Inhibition of deep cerebellar nuclei
• Excitation of deep cerebellar nuclei
• No change in deep nuclei activity
• Excitation followed by permanent inhibition

Correct Answer: Inhibition of deep cerebellar nuclei

Q24. Which hereditary disorder primarily involves progressive degeneration of the cerebellum leading to ataxia?

• Friedreich ataxia
• Parkinson’s disease
• Myasthenia gravis
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Correct Answer: Friedreich ataxia

Q25. Acute alcohol intoxication commonly impairs which cerebellar function first?

• Gait and coordination (vermal function)
• Visual acuity
• Short-term memory
• Pain sensation

Correct Answer: Gait and coordination (vermal function)

Q26. A positive Romberg test most strongly suggests dysfunction of which system rather than cerebellar pathology?

• Proprioceptive dorsal column pathways
• Vestibular apparatus
• Basal ganglia circuitry
• Cerebral cortex

Correct Answer: Proprioceptive dorsal column pathways

Q27. Cerebellar lesions most commonly impair which aspect of eye movements?

• Smooth pursuit and saccadic accuracy
• Pupillary light reflex
• Accommodation reflex
• Blink reflex

Correct Answer: Smooth pursuit and saccadic accuracy

Q28. Mossy fibers terminate principally on which cerebellar cell type?

• Granule cells
• Purkinje cells
• Basket cells
• Stellate cells

Correct Answer: Granule cells

Q29. Which deep cerebellar nucleus projects to motor areas of the cerebral cortex via the thalamus?

• Dentate nucleus
• Fastigial nucleus
• Vestibular nucleus
• Golgi nucleus

Correct Answer: Dentate nucleus

Q30. The primary excitatory neurotransmitter released by climbing fibers is:

• Glutamate
• GABA
• Glycine
• Serotonin

Correct Answer: Glutamate

Q31. Which tract conveys unconscious proprioceptive information from the lower limb to the cerebellum?

• Posterior spinocerebellar tract
• Corticospinal tract
• Spinothalamic tract
• Dorsal column–medial lemniscus

Correct Answer: Posterior spinocerebellar tract

Q32. Clinical deficits from a unilateral cerebellar hemisphere lesion are typically observed on which side of the body?

• The ipsilateral side
• The contralateral side
• Bilaterally symmetric
• No motor deficits, only sensory

Correct Answer: The ipsilateral side

Q33. Infarction of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) is classically associated with which syndrome?

• Lateral medullary (Wallenberg) syndrome
• Locked-in syndrome
• Broca’s aphasia
• Huntington’s chorea

Correct Answer: Lateral medullary (Wallenberg) syndrome

Q34. In the cerebellar cortex, Purkinje cells are located between which two layers?

• Molecular layer and granular layer
• Pial layer and white matter
• Substantia gelatinosa and molecular layer
• Hippocampal and granular layers

Correct Answer: Molecular layer and granular layer

Q35. The cerebellum contributes to motor control by forming internal models; what is the primary purpose of these models?

• Predicting sensory consequences and correcting motor errors
• Generating long-term declarative memories
• Controlling autonomic reflexes
• Regulating endocrine secretion

Correct Answer: Predicting sensory consequences and correcting motor errors

Q36. Chronic therapy with which antiepileptic drug is commonly associated with cerebellar atrophy and ataxia?

• Phenytoin
• Aspirin
• Propranolol

Correct Answer: Phenytoin

Q37. The vestibulocerebellum primarily projects to which structure to influence balance and eye movements?

• Vestibular nuclei
• Red nucleus
• Substantia nigra
• Thalamic reticular nucleus

Correct Answer: Vestibular nuclei

Q38. Which of the following is NOT a recognized function of the cerebellum?

• Pain perception and nociception
• Coordination of movement
• Motor learning
• Maintenance of posture and balance

Correct Answer: Pain perception and nociception

Q39. The rebound phenomenon (Holmes sign) seen with cerebellar lesions refers to:

• Failure to check a movement when resistance is removed
• An increased deep tendon reflex
• Loss of voluntary movement initiation
• Transient paralysis after effort

Correct Answer: Failure to check a movement when resistance is removed

Q40. Which imaging modality provides the best anatomical detail for evaluating cerebellar pathology?

• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
• Electroencephalography (EEG)
• Electromyography (EMG)
• Plain radiography (X-ray)

Correct Answer: MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

Q41. The intermediate (paravermal) zone of the cerebellum chiefly contributes to control of:

• Limb coordination and distal musculature
• Autonomic cardiovascular control
• Olfactory discrimination
• Language comprehension

Correct Answer: Limb coordination and distal musculature

Q42. Embryologically, the cerebellum develops from which secondary brain vesicle?

• Metencephalon
• Telencephalon
• Diencephalon
• Myelencephalon

Correct Answer: Metencephalon

Q43. Which receptor subtype on Purkinje cell dendrites is essential for induction of parallel fiber–Purkinje cell LTD?

• mGluR1 (metabotropic glutamate receptor 1)
• GABA-A receptor
• NMDA receptor
• Nicotine acetylcholine receptor

Correct Answer: mGluR1 (metabotropic glutamate receptor 1)

Q44. Which clinical test assesses coordination and proprioception of the lower limb?

• Heel-to-shin test
• Romberg test
• Finger–nose test
• Pronator drift test

Correct Answer: Heel-to-shin test

Q45. Which is the largest and most lateral deep cerebellar nucleus?

• Dentate nucleus
• Fastigial nucleus
• Emboliform nucleus
• Globose nucleus

Correct Answer: Dentate nucleus

Q46. Damage to the cerebellar vermis is most likely to produce which gait abnormality?

• Wide-based, truncal ataxic gait
• Steppage gait due to foot drop
• Hemiplegic spastic gait
• Sensory ataxic gait with positive Romberg

Correct Answer: Wide-based, truncal ataxic gait

Q47. The corticopontocerebellar pathway reaches the cerebellum via which peduncle?

• Middle cerebellar peduncle
• Superior cerebellar peduncle
• Inferior cerebellar peduncle
• Medial longitudinal fasciculus

Correct Answer: Middle cerebellar peduncle

Q48. Which cerebellar interneuron provides inhibitory feedback to granule cells?

• Golgi cell
• Purkinje cell
• Basket cell
• Stellate cell

Correct Answer: Golgi cell

Q49. Cerebellar involvement in speech typically leads to which of the following descriptions?

• Scanning, irregularly stressed speech
• Fluent but meaningless speech
• Nonfluent effortful speech with agrammatism
• Monotone hypophonic speech

Correct Answer: Scanning, irregularly stressed speech

Q50. Which cerebellar component is most essential for coordinating vestibulo-ocular reflexes?

• Flocculonodular lobe
• Lateral hemisphere
• Anterior lobe
• Dentate nucleus

Correct Answer: Flocculonodular lobe

G S Sachin

I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.

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