Cerebellum: Connections and Functions

In addition to its role in motor control, reflex adaptation, and motor learning, three sorts of evidence have been put forward to support the idea that the cerebellum may also be involved in cognition. Patients with cerebellar lesions are reported to have deficits in performing one or another cognitive task. The cerebellum is often seen to be activated when normal subjects perform such tasks. There are connections to and from areas of the prefrontal cortex that may be involved in cognition. In this paper, we review the anatomical evidence to support the claim. We suggest that there are only minor connections with cognitive areas of the cerebral cortex and that some of the imaging evidence may reflect the cerebellum’s role in the control of eye movements rather than cognition.

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