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CC BY 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2025; 83(08): s00451811623
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1811623
Review Article

Neurophysiology of the cerebellum and clinical correlations: a review

Walderico Silva Machado Filho 
1   Universidade de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Departamento de Neurologia, Campinas SP, Brazil.
,
Alberto Rolim Muro Martinez 
1   Universidade de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Departamento de Neurologia, Campinas SP, Brazil.
,
Marcondes Cavalcante França Junior 
1   Universidade de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Departamento de Neurologia, Campinas SP, Brazil.
› Author Affiliations
Funding The present article was funded by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), grant nr. 2013/07559-3.
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Abstract

The cerebellum is a complex structure tightly connected to the cerebral cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. It plays an important role in movement coordination and motor planning. Lately, it has been also recognized as a key component in cognitive circuits. The specific motor functions of the cerebellum include the control of the initiation, execution, and velocity of movements, as well as the maintenance of balance, motor coordination, and muscle tonus. Cerebellar lesions typically result in ataxia but can also lead to other manifestations, such as abnormal eye movements, severe vertigo, or impaired motor learning. Additionally, the cerebellum plays a key role in cognitive processes, with dysfunction leading to conditions such as the cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome (CCAS). Functional distinctions are evident between the cerebellar vermis, hemispheres, and flocculonodular lobe, each contributing to different motor and cognitive domains. In the current review, we address the current understanding of cerebellar anatomy and physiology, highlighting the most relevant correlations between lesion location and clinical symptomatology for practicing neurologists.

Keywords

Neurophysiology - Cerebellum - Cognition - Cerebellar Ataxia

Authors' Contributions

Conceptualization: WSMF; Investigation: WSMF; Methodology: WSMF; Project administration: MCFJ; Supervision: MCFJ; Validation: MCFJ; Visualization: WSMF; Writing – original draft: WSMF; Writing – review & editing: ARMM, MCFJ.


Data Availability Statement

No new data were generated or analyzed in this study.


Editor-in-Chief: Hélio A. G. Teive. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2305-1073.


Associate Editor: Orlando G. P. Barsottini. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0107-0831.




Publication History

Received: 03 May 2025

Accepted: 28 June 2025

Article published online:
19 September 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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Bibliographical Record
Walderico Silva Machado Filho, Alberto Rolim Muro Martinez, Marcondes Cavalcante França Junior. Neurophysiology of the cerebellum and clinical correlations: a review. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2025; 83: s00451811623.
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1811623