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cerebellum

This shows a child, an MRI machine, and a brain.

·June 25, 2025·4 min read

Cerebellum Shapes Children’s Empathy and Theory of Mind

Understanding others’ beliefs—especially false ones—is key to human communication and begins to develop between ages three and five. In a new study, researchers observed children’s brain activity while they watched movies in an MRI scanner to investigate the neurological roots of Theory of Mind (ToM).

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·June 23, 2025·5 min read

Cerebellum Synapse Structure Revealed

Scientists have mapped the molecular structure of glutamate receptors in the cerebellum for the first time using cryo-electron microscopy. These receptors are critical to how neurons in the cerebellum communicate, affecting movement, balance, and cognition.

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·June 16, 2025·5 min read

Mitochondrial Link to Cerebellar Decline in MS

A new study reveals that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a central role in the loss of Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum, contributing to motor impairments in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers found that inflammation and demyelination in the cerebellum disrupt the mitochondria—key cellular power sources—leading to energy loss, neuron damage, and ataxia.

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·October 22, 2024·3 min read

Cerebellum Plays Key Role in Social and Cognitive Abilities

The cerebellum, traditionally linked to motor functions, also plays a vital role in social and cognitive abilities, according to new research. Abnormalities in this brain region not only impair movement but are linked to emotional and behavioral issues, particularly in autism.

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·October 14, 2024·6 min read

Cerebellum Plays Crucial Role in Skill Retention and Memory

New research uncovers that the cerebellum is critical for long-term motor skill memory formation, distinguishing it from short-term memory systems. Patients with cerebellar damage showed normal performance on motor tasks over short intervals but were impaired with longer gaps, linking the cerebellum directly to long-term sensorimotor memory. These findings resolve inconsistencies in prior studies and highlight the importance of time intervals in understanding motor memory degradation in cerebellar degeneration.

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·July 11, 2024·4 min read

Cerebellum Controls Thirst, Not Just Motor Functions

A new study reveals the cerebellum's role in controlling thirst, expanding its known functions beyond motor control. Researchers discovered that the hormone asprosin activates Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum, driving the urge to drink water. This finding could lead to new treatments for thirst disorders. The study highlights the cerebellum's broader impact on essential survival functions.

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·April 4, 2024·5 min read

Cerebellum Plays A Key Role in Reward Learning

Researchers discovered the cerebellum's significant involvement in reward-based learning, challenging longstanding views of its function. By training monkeys to associate visual cues with hand movements for rewards, the study demonstrates that the cerebellum is essential for forming new visuomotor associations, not just controlling movement.

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·April 2, 2024·6 min read

Zombie Neurons: Unlocking the Cerebellum’s Learning Secrets

Researchers have identified "zombie neurons" in the cerebellum that offer new insights into how this brain region facilitates learning through past experiences. Utilizing optogenetics, the team manipulated cerebellar inputs, specifically climbing fibres, to demonstrate their pivotal role in associative learning processes, such as the conditioned blinking response in mice.

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·January 10, 2024·5 min read

Link Between Smaller Cerebellum and PTSD

New research uncovered a significant association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a reduction in cerebellar volume. This study, one of the largest of its kind, demonstrates that individuals with PTSD have cerebellums that are approximately 2% smaller than those without the disorder.

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·December 5, 2023·4 min read

Cerebellar Glia Influence Aggression Level

Interactions between neurons and glial cells in the cerebellum significantly influence aggression levels in mice. This study highlights the role of the cerebellum, specifically the Bergmann glial cells in the cerebellar vermis, in regulating aggression.

This shows a brain that looks like a tree.

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·November 29, 2023·5 min read

The Cerebellum’s Role in Human Cognitive Evolution

New research reveals the cerebellum's significant role in the evolution of human cognitive functions. The study mapped the genetic development of cerebellar cells in humans, mice, and opossums, uncovering both ancestral and unique cellular characteristics.

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·November 10, 2023·4 min read

Fitness Shapes Teen Brains

A novel study finds a link between childhood physical fitness and cerebellar grey matter volume in adolescents. The research, part of the FitBrain study, shows that adolescents with better neuromuscular fitness had larger Crus I grey matter volumes, important for cognition and learning. However, the study also found that better cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with smaller overall cerebellar volume, with gender-specific differences noted.