Cerebellum definition

Understanding the Cerebellum: Definition and Function

The cerebellum is the part of the brain that’s in charge of coordination and movement.

Whether you’re trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle, get a basketball through the hoop, or make a left turn while driving, it’s your cerebellum that enables you to perform all these tasks.

Despite taking up just one-tenth of your brain’s total volume, the cerebellum houses more neurons than all other parts of your brain combined.

In this article, we will explain the cerebellum definition and look into the main functions of this vital brain region.

What Is The Cerebellum?

The cerebellum is a ball of nervous tissue located under the rear end of the cerebrum.

Positioned in the back of the head, the cerebellum is connected to the brain stem by bundles of nerve fibers that help transmit information across the brain. These bundles are called cerebellar peduncles. There are six of them – two superior, two middle, and two inferior cerebellar peduncles.

Although it typically accounts for no more than 10% of the total brain volume, the cerebellum is home to up to 70 billion neurons.

What Does Cerebellar Mean?

The word cerebellum (cerebellar in its adjective form) means little brainin Latin.

It was first used in 1504 when the great Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci discovered an unusual structure hidden underneath the cerebrum. Since this symmetrical formation largely resembled the look of the cerebrum – the largest part of the human brain – Da Vinci decided to call it “the little brain”.

Eleven centuries earlier, Aristotle used the Greek term paregkephalis to describe this same structure. Although the word has the exact same meaning as the Latin cerebellum, there is no evidence to suggest that Da Vinci borrowed it from the great Greek philosopher.

What Does The Cerebellum Affect?

The cerebellum affects many processes, but it is most commonly associated with three: movement, coordination, and balance.

1. Movement Every voluntary movement that you make originates in the cerebrum, but it’s the cerebellum that puts everything into action.

For example, let’s say that you want to move your finger.

A corresponding signal will instantly form in the motor cortex of your cerebrum and travel to the cerebellum. The cerebellum will then send a direct instruction to the muscles in your finger to carry out your planned movement.

2. Coordination

Now let’s say that you want to cross the street.

Walking is a complex process that requires several muscle groups to move simultaneously. As such, not only will the cerebellum have to instruct all individual muscles to move according to your plans but it will also have to coordinate their movement.

Once again, the process starts as a signal in the cerebrum and travels to the cerebellum. From there, it is the job of the cerebellum to instruct your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and all other muscles involved in walking to move in sync.

3. Balance While you’re moving, the cerebellum also helps your body maintain proper balance.

To make this possible, this region of the brain is equipped with numerous sensors that can detect shifts in movement and balance. Using the information provided by these sensors, the cerebellum sends signals to the rest of your body to adjust the balance as you move.

What Helps The Cerebellum Perform Its Function?

The brain stem connects the cerebellum to the cerebrum and helps fine-tune its functions.

First, the signals sent out by the cerebellum travel through the cerebellar peduncles into the brain stem. From there, these signals are relayed to parts of the cerebrum that are in charge of motor control.

This supports coordination and helps your body to carry out complex movements like walking or running.

Can You Live Without A Cerebellum?

A study published in 2015 revealed that it is possible to live a normal life without a cerebellum.

The authors observed a 24-year-old woman who discovered that she was born without a cerebellum while visiting her doctor for a routine checkup. Although the absence of a cerebellum may have been responsible for slower speech and movement development in childhood, it caused no noticeable problems in adulthood.

This is a very rare phenomenon, though. In 2004 when this woman first discovered that she had no cerebellum, there were only eight other people in the world with the same deficiency.

The Final Word It’s not about mental intelligence, it’s about mental fitness.

—Jim Kwik, Author of Mindvalley’s Superbrain Program The cerebellum allows you to control and maintain your motor skills. However, to acquire and develop your motor skills, you need to practice them regularly.

Drawing, knitting, or playing an instrument – these are all excellent ways to exercise your fine motor skills. Not only that but they are also some of the best techniques to supercharge your brain and improve your memory.