Single-Session Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Improves Postural Stability and Reduces Ataxia Symptoms in Spinocerebellar Ataxia
In conclusion, our study suggests that a single session of ctDCS, in combination with postural training, can enhance balance and alleviate ataxia symptoms in individuals with cerebellar ataxia. This study was approved by the local research ethics committee (No. 2.877.813) and registere d on clinicaltrials.org (NCT04039048 -https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04039048) on 2019-07-28. (Source: The Cerebellum)
Source: The Cerebellum - May 2, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
The Evolution of the Optimization of Cognitive and Social Functions in the Cerebellum and Thereby the Rise of Homo sapiens Through Cumulative Culture
AbstractThe evolution of the prominent role of the cerebellum in the development of composite tools, and cumulative culture, leading to the rise of Homosapiens is examined. Following Stout and Hecht's (2017) detailed description of stone-tool making, eight key repetitive involvements of the cerebellum are highlighted. These key cerebellar learning involvements include the following: (1) optimization of cognitive-social control, (2) prediction (3) focus of attention, (4) automaticity of smoothness, appropriateness, and speed of movement and cognition, (5) refined movement and social cognition, (6) learns models of extended ...
Source: The Cerebellum - April 27, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
The Role of Verbal Fluency in the Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome Scale in Friedreich Ataxia
This study explored the relationship between performance on the CCAS-S and clinical metrics of disease severity in 57 adults with FRDA. In addition, this study explored the relationship between measures of intelligibility and naturalness of speech and scores on the CCAS-S in a subgroup of 39 individuals with FRDA. We demonstrated a significant relationship between clinical metrics and performance on the CCAS-S. In addition, we confirmed the items that returned the greatest rate of failure were based on Verbal Fluency Tasks, revealing a significant relationship between these items and measures of speech. Measures of speech ...
Source: The Cerebellum - April 20, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
The Role of Cognitive Reserve in Protecting Cerebellar Volumes of Older Adults with mild Cognitive Impairment
This study suggests that a higher cognitive reserve is associated with specific cerebellar lobule volumes and that Working activity may play a predominant role in this association. These findings contribute t o the understanding of the relationship between cerebellar volumes and cognitive reserve, highlighting the potential modulatory role of Working activity on cerebellum response to cognitive decline.Graphical Abstract (Source: The Cerebellum)
Source: The Cerebellum - April 19, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Role of the Cerebellum in the Construction of Functional and Geometrical Spaces
AbstractThe perceptual and motor systems appear to have a set of movement primitives that exhibit certain geometric and kinematic invariances. Complex patterns and mental representations can be produced by (re)combining some simple motor elements in various ways using basic operations, transformations, and respecting a set of laws referred to as kinematic laws of motion. For example, point-to-point hand movements are characterized by straight hand paths with single-peaked-bell-shaped velocity profiles, whereas hand speed profiles for curved trajectories are often irregular and more variable, with speed valleys and inflecti...
Source: The Cerebellum - April 16, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Evaluation of the Patients with the Diagnosis of Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia: A Multicenter National Study
AbstractPontocerebellar hypoplasia (PCH) is a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by hypoplasia and degeneration of the cerebellum and pons. We aimed to identify the clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings of the patients with diagnosed PCH with confirmed genetic analysis. We collected available clinical data, laboratory, and imaging findings in our retrospective multicenter national study of 64 patients with PCH in Turkey. The genetic analysis included the whole-exome sequencing (WES), targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS), or single gene analysis. Sixty-four patients with PCH were 28 f...
Source: The Cerebellum - April 15, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Prenatal Diagnosis of Cerebellar Cortical Dysplasia: Case Report
AbstractThis was a study of 12 cerebellar cortical dysplasias (CCDs) fetuses, these cases were characterized by a disorder of cerebellar fissures. Historically, CCD diagnosis was primarily performed using postnatal imaging. Unique to this study was the case series of CCD for prenatal diagnosis using prenatal ultrasound, as well as we found thatAXIN1 andFOXC1 mutations may be related to CCD. (Source: The Cerebellum)
Source: The Cerebellum - April 12, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Preterm Birth Alters the Regional Development and Structural Covariance of Cerebellum at Term-Equivalent Age
In this study, using the structural MR images of 52 preterm infants scanned at term-equivalent age and 312 full-term controls from the Developing Human Connectome Project, we compared volumetric growth, local cerebellum shape development and cerebello-cerebral structural covariance between the two groups. We found that although there was no significant difference in the overall volume measurements between preterm and full-term infants, the shape measurements were different. Compared with the control infants, preterm infants had significantly larger thickness in the vermis and lower thickness in the lateral portions of the ...
Source: The Cerebellum - April 6, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Consensus Paper: Cerebellum and Ageing
In conclusion, macroscopic and microscopic changes occur in the cerebellum during the lifespan, with changes in structural and functional conn ectivity with both the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia. With the aging of the population and the impact of aging on quality of life, the panel of experts considers that there is a huge need to clarify how the effects of aging on the cerebellar circuitry modify specific motor, cognitive, and affect ive operations both in normal subjects and in brain disorders such as AD or MDD, with the goal of preventing symptoms or improving the motor, cognitive, and affective symptoms. (Source: The Cerebellum)
Source: The Cerebellum - March 20, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Genetic Epidemiology and Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Spinocerebellar Ataxias in an Unexplored Brazilian State, Using Strategies for Resource-Limited Settings
This study aimed to develop resource-limited strategies to detect and characterize the frequency and genetic-clinical profile of SCAs in an unexplored population from Alagoas State, a low Human Development Index state in northeastern Brazil. Active search strategies were employed to identify individuals with a diagnosis or clinical suspicion of SCAs, and a protocol for clinical and molecular evaluation was applied in collaboration with a reference center in Neurogenetics. A total of 73 individuals with SCAs were identified, with a minimum estimated prevalence of 2.17 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. SCA3 was the most common ...
Source: The Cerebellum - March 20, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Consensus Paper: Latent Autoimmune Cerebellar Ataxia (LACA)
We present a novel concept of latent autoimmune cerebellar ataxia (LACA), analogous to latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). LADA is a slowly progressive form of autoimmune diabetes where patients are often initially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The sole biomarker (serum anti-GAD antibody) is not always present or can fluctuate. However, the disease progresses to pancreatic beta-cell failure and insulin dependency within about 5 years. Due to the unclear autoimmune profile, clinicians often struggle to reach an early diagnosis during the period when insulin production is not severely compromised. LACA is also cha...
Source: The Cerebellum - March 20, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Ocular Flutter Evoked by Vestibular Stimulation
(Source: The Cerebellum)
Source: The Cerebellum - March 20, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Gap Junctions May Have A Computational Function In The Cerebellum: A Hypothesis
We present a detailed neurophysiological and computationally-rendered model of functionally grouped Golgi cells which can infer the density of parallel fibre signals activity and convert it into proportional modulation of inhibition of granule cells. The conversion is unlearned and not actively computed; rather, output is simply the computational effect of cell morphology and network architecture. Unexpectedly, the conversion becomes more precise at low density, suggesting that self-regulation is attracted to sparse code, because it is stable. A computational function of gap junctions may not be confined to the cerebellum....
Source: The Cerebellum - March 18, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Effects of Baclofen on Central Paroxysmal Positional Downbeat Nystagmus
This study aims to elucidate the mechanism of central positional nystagmus (CPN) by determining the effects of baclofen on the intensity of paroxysmal positional downbeat nystagmus due to central lesions. Fifteen patients with paroxysmal downbeat CPN were subjected to manual straight head-hanging before administration of baclofen, while taking baclofen 30 mg per day for at least one week, and two weeks after discontinuation of baclofen. The maximum slow phase velocity (SPV) and time constant (TC) of the induced paroxysmal downbeat CPN were analyzed. The positional vertigo was evaluated using an 11-point numerical rating ...
Source: The Cerebellum - March 18, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
Gravity-Dependent Modulation of Downbeat Nystagmus and Subjective Visual Vertical in the Roll Plane
In this study, we investigated static and dynamic graviceptive function in the roll-plane in patients with DBN (patients) and healthy-controls (controls) by assessment of the Subjective Visual Vertical (SVV) and the modulation of slow-phase-velocity (SPV) of DBN. SPV of DBN and SVV were tested at different head-on trunk-tilt positions in the roll-plane (0 °,30° clockwise (cw) and 30° counterclockwise (ccw)) in 26 patients suffering from DBN and 13 controls. In patients, SPV of DBN did not show significant modulations at different head-tilt angles in the roll-plane. SVV ratings did not differ significantly between DBN pa...
Source: The Cerebellum - March 18, 2024 Category: Neurology Source Type: research
