Cerebellum in Health and Disease

The cerebellum is the brain structure that carries out the primary function of coordinating movement. Its dysfunction leads to movement disorders which invariably manifest as ataxia and dyskinesia and it has also been implicated in cognitive disorders such as autism and dyslexia. The elegant anatomical circuit of the cerebellum is simple and its role as the neural substrate for certain forms of motor learning is identified. Similarly, cerebellar input-output pathways have been described in detail. Its architectural simplicity, known function and relative accessibility has fostered its scrutiny by neuroscientists from a wide range of disciplines. It is thus not surprising that many scientists believe that the cerebellum presents the best candidate for deciphering higher order brain function.

The purpose of a GRC on the Cerebellum is to foster an active dialogue between the very different disciplines and fields that have the cerebellum in common. There is ample evidence that the various cerebellar fields have matured to the extent that facilitating cross-fertilization of ideas amongst them will translate into a significant increase in their rates of growth, and ultimately into a more complete understanding of its function and dysfunction. The Cerebellum GRC will be the first of its kind in Neurobiology and will no doubt serve as a model for others to follow.