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Cervelletto

Cerebellum

Written by Andrea Pintimalli - Redazione scientifica on .

INDEX
Description
Functions
Anatomy
Research and Study

The cerebellum, from Latin cerebellum, “little brain,” due to its shape, is a fundamental component of the central nervous system. In addition to playing a crucial role in movement control, the cerebellum also participates in important cognitive processes, such as attention, memory, and language. Furthermore, it is involved in regulating emotional responses, such as fear and pleasure. Despite its relevance in various functional areas, it is interesting to note that its motor functions have received the most attention and study over the years, even though it is estimated that only 20% of cerebellar functions are motor in nature. The cerebellar hemispheres, in fact, are involved in a wide range of neuropsychological domains.

Description

The cerebellum is a structure composed of two symmetrical cerebellar hemispheres, connected by the cerebellar vermis. It consists of several layers of nerve cells, called neurons, and a complex network of synaptic connections.

Functions

The main functions of the cerebellum are motor coordination and balance. This brain region receives sensory information from various parts of the body, such as the eyes, inner ear, and muscle and tendon receptors, and integrates it to regulate movement precision. Additionally, the cerebellum also contributes to the modulation of cognitive functions, such as attention, memory, and language.

Anatomy

The cerebellum is divided into three main parts: the cerebellar vermis, which extends along the midline of the cerebellum; the two cerebellar hemispheres, located on either side of the vermis; and the cerebellar lobes, which are in the outer portion of the two hemispheres. Each cerebellar lobe is further divided into numerous smaller structures, called lobules and fissures, which contribute to specific motor and cognitive functions.

Research and Study

The cerebellum has been the subject of extensive scientific research to better understand its functions and its connections with other brain regions. Studies on the cerebellum have helped improve our understanding of motor coordination mechanisms and develop new therapies for cerebellar disorders.

In recent years, the cerebellum has also received increasing attention in research on dyslexia, where it has been hypothesized that the characteristic deficits of this condition may be connected to motor functions. The RINED, Research Institute for Neuroscience Education and Didactics of the Patrizio Paoletti Foundation has conducted several preliminary studies in this direction, through investigation on Quadrato Motor Training.

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Bibliography
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  • Piek, J.P.; Dyck, M.J. Sensory-Motor Deficits in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autistic Disorder. Hum. Mov. Sci. 2004, 23, 475–488, doi:10.1016/j.humov.2004.08.019.
  • Ben-Soussan, T.D.; Glicksohn, J.; Berkovich-Ohana, A. From Cerebellar Activation and Connectivity to Cognition: A Review of the Quadrato Motor Training. BioMed. Res. Int. 2015, 2015, 1–11, doi:10.1155/2015/954901.
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  • Schmahmann, J. D. (1991). An emerging concept: the cerebellar contribution to higher function. Archives of neurology, 48(11), 1178-1187.
  • Schmahmann, J. D. (1996). From movement to thought: anatomic substrates of the cerebellar contribution to cognitive processing. Human brain mapping, 4(3), 174-198.
  • William Hodos, Evolution of Cerebellum, in Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, Springer, 2009, pp. 1240-1243, Doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_3124
  • Wolf, U., Rapoport, M. J., & Schweizer, T. A. (2009). Evaluating the affective component of the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome. The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 21(3), 245-253.

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