Cerebellar Afferents to Neuroendocrine Cells: Implications for Adaptive Responses to Simulated Weightlessness

The hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system as well as the autonomic nervous system is involved in homeostatic responses associated with changes in head position and orthostatic reflex. The responses induced by body tilt on earth are thought to be attributed to changes in inputs from baroreceptors, vestibular organs and proprioreceptors that are normally required for postural control. The information from these organs is sent to the hypothalamus which thereby influences both neuroendocrine and autonomic systems as well as various kinds of emotional behavior. Our findings showing the fastigial input to the hypothalamus suggested that the FN plays a significant role in these homeostatic responses through its connections with the brain stem and the hypothalamus. Figure 4 shows the input-output organization among the hypothalamus, cerebellum and brain stem, described in detail in sections III to V. This hypothesis may help to account for the autonomic and endocrine disorders often observed in weightlessness.