[2] During 22–28 weeks of gestation, which is the critical period in fetal development of the dentate nucleus, gyral formation occurs extensively over the entire surface.

As a chunk of tissue, the dentate nucleus with overlying cerebellar cortex makes up a functional unit called the cerebrocerebellum.

Neurons in the cerebellar nuclei generate spontaneous action potentials despite ongoing inhibition from Purkinje cells.

The ventral half is much more developed in humans than in great apes, and it appears to play an important role in fiber connection.

Further, the ventral domain mediates higher cerebellar functions, such as language and cognition, as well as versatile and coordinated finger movement.

[6] The large principal neurons have been classified into four primary types according to position within the dentate, shape of soma (cell body), and dendritic branching.

These areas are activated during tasks involving short-term working memory, rule-based learning, and higher executive function-like planning.

Therefore, as a result of these various pathways, the neurons of the dentate nucleus are able to traverse all thalamic nuclei, with the exception of those at the midline and anterior nuclear groups.

Convergent branches include those that originate from entirely different axons and traverse different routes, yet overlap on the same terminal field.

[11] Three modalities are received by cerebellum, including proprioception, nociception, and somatic input, and all of these stimulate the dentate nucleus.

[4] Several pathological processes involve the dentate nucleus including metabolic, genetic, and neurodegenerative disorders, as well as some infections.

[12] Leigh disease: Clinical and pathological symptoms usually appear in the first year of life and include psychomotor retardation and brain stem dysfunction.

Bilaterally symmetric defects are seen in the periaqueductal grey matter, brain stem, basal ganglia, and dentate nucleus.

Cerebellar white matter and dentate nucleus lesions usually occur in children less than ten years of age.