climbing fiber

noun

anatomy

: any of the afferent nerve fibers arising from neurons in the inferior olive that ascend to the cerebellar cortex to synapse with Purkinje cells

The olive sends so-called climbing fibers up to the cerebellum where they wrap around Purkinje cells like vines around a tree, exerting a powerful influence on them …—

Ingrid Wickelgren, Science, 11 Sept. 1998

Individual Purkinje neurons receive synaptic input from only a single climbing fiber, whereas each climbing fiber contacts 1-10 Purkinje neurons.—

Eric R. Kandel et al., Principles of Neural Science, 4th Edition, 2000

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of climbing fiber was in 1950

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Climbing fiber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/climbing%20fiber. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation