Offline consolidation of spatial memory: do the cerebellar output circuits play a role? A study utilizing a Morris water maze protocol in male Wistar rats.

•Post-training shutdown of cerebellar nuclei impairs consolidation of spatial memory.•Consolidation is impaired by inactivation of medial but not lateral structures.•Medially inactivated rats show lack of quadrant preference in the consolidation test.•Medially inactivated rats do not achieve optimization of behavioral trajectories.•Refined spatial map development requires cerebellar integrity during consolidation.