This paper presents the results of a simulation of the spatial relationship
between the inferior olivary nucleus and folium crus IIA of the lateral
hemisphere of the rat cerebellum. The principal objective of this
modeling effort was to resolve an apparent conflict between a proposed
zonal organization of olivary projections to cerebellar cortex suggested
by anatomical tract-tracing experiments (Brodal & Kawamura 1980;
Campbell & Armstrong 1983) and a more patchy organization apparent
with physiological mapping (Robertson 1987). The results suggest that
several unique features of the olivocerebellar circuit may contribute to
the appearance of zonal organization using anatomical techniques, but
that the detailed patterns of patchy tactile projections seen with
physiological techniques are a more accurate representation of the
afferent organization of this region of cortex