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The Radically Changing View of the Cerebellum

The cerebellum has long been a misunderstood and often forgotten portion of the brain. But over the last decade or so, there has been increased interest in this unique and heterogeneous region which contains more than 4 times the number of neurons than the cortex itself, very few glia, and whose main output cells are inhibitory rather than excitatory. What’s more, as research has provided a greater understanding about how the cerebellum interfaces with different cortical regions of the brain, there has been a significant shift in thinking about what the cerebellum actually does.

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 The Underestimated Cerebellum Gains New Respect From Brain Scientists

The cerebellum doesn't directly carry out tasks like thinking, just as it doesn't directly control movement, Marek says. Instead, he says, it appears to monitor the brain areas that are doing the work and make them perform better.

Previously Featured

Cerebellum, the so-called little brain. (Collection of recent studies etc)

There is more and more evidence of the higher role of the cerebellum, the so called little brain.

How the Human Cerebellum May Outshine Our Prefrontal Cortex

Humans' extraordinary brainpower may be tied to the evolution of our cerebellum.

The Detailed Organization of the Human Cerebellum

Distinct regions of the cerebellum connect to separate regions of the cerebral cortex forming a complex topography. While cerebellar organization has been examined in group-averaged data, study of individuals provides an opportunity to discover features that emerge at a higher spatial resolution.

The Detailed Organization of the Human Cerebellum Estimated by Intrinsic Functional Connectivity Within the Individual

The human cerebellum possesses a topographic representation of multiple higher-order association networks. Separate cerebellar zones can be shown to couple selectively to distinct networks that are finely interdigitated in the cerebral cortex, including networks hypothesized to support advanced functions related to remembering, making social inferences, and language.

The Human Cerebellum as a Hub of the Predictive Brain

Although the cerebellum has long been believed to be involved uniquely in sensorimotor processes, recent research works pointed to its participation in a wide range of cognitive predictive functions.

The human cerebellum has almost 80% of the surface area of the neocortex

The surface of the human cerebellar cortex is much more tightly folded than the cerebral cortex. It was computationally reconstructed for the first time to the level of all individual folia from multicontrast high-resolution postmortem MRI scans.

The Mystery of the Human Cerebellum: What does it do?

Abstract: For many years the cerebellum has been viewed as a cerebral organ primarily dedicated to coordinating motor activity. During recent years, however, new evidence has emerged that indicates that the cerebellum may also be a key cognitive organ in the brain as well.

Resources

Physiopedia

The cerebellum is neuron-rich, containing 80% of the brain’s neurons organized in a dense cellular layer, and it's surface area when unfolded is nearly 75% of the surface area of the cerebrum.

StatPearls

The cerebellum is a vital component in the human brain as it plays a role in motor movement regulation and balance control. The cerebellum coordinates gait and maintains posture, controls muscle tone and voluntary muscle activity but is unable to initiate muscle contraction.

TeachMe Anatomy

The cerebellum, which stands for “little brain”, is a structure of the central nervous system. It has an important role in motor control, with cerebellar dysfunction often presenting with motor signs. In particular, it is active in the coordination, precision and timing of movements, as well as in motor learning.