The cerebellum and cognitive function: 25 years of insight from anatomy and neuroimaging

Neuron. 2013 Oct 30;80(3):807-15. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.10.044.

Abstract

Twenty-five years ago the first human functional neuroimaging studies of cognition discovered a surprising response in the cerebellum that could not be attributed to motor demands. This controversial observation challenged the well-entrenched view that the cerebellum solely contributes to the planning and execution of movement. Recurring neuroimaging findings combined with key insights from anatomy and case studies of neurological patients motivated a reconsideration of the traditional model of cerebellar organization and function. The majority of the human cerebellum maps to cerebral association networks in an orderly manner that includes a mirroring of the prominent cerebral asymmetries for language and attention. These findings inspire exploration of the cerebellum's contributions to a diverse array of functional domains and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cerebellum / anatomy & histology
  • Cerebellum / physiology*
  • Cognition / physiology*
  • History, 20th Century
  • History, 21st Century
  • Humans
  • Neural Pathways / anatomy & histology
  • Neural Pathways / physiology
  • Neuroanatomy* / history
  • Neuroanatomy* / methods
  • Neuroimaging* / history
  • Neuroimaging* / methods