University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
Biol Psychiatry. 2009 Dec 15;66(12):1100-6. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.06.014. Epub 2009 Aug 5.
The cerebellum is a brain region recognized primarily in the coordination of movement and related accessory motor functions. In addition, emerging evidence implicates the cerebellum in cognitive processes and suggests that this brain region might be subject to experience-dependent changes in structure. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the role of early environmental deprivation in the maturation of the cerebellum and aspects of cognitive development.
Structural magnetic resonance imaging volumes of 12 cerebellar sub-regions from 31 previously neglected and 30 typically developing children were compared with subjects' corresponding neuropsychological test scores.
Neglected children had smaller volume of the superior-posterior cerebellar lobes. Moreover, superior-posterior lobe volume was found to mediate neuropsychological test performance differences between groups, with larger volumes yielding better outcomes on tests of memory and planning.
These data support the importance of experience-dependent changes in cerebellar structure and highlight the role of the cerebellum in higher cognitive functions.
小脑主要负责协调运动和相关辅助运动功能。此外，新出现的证据表明小脑参与认知过程，并提示该脑区可能会发生结构上的经验依赖性变化。因此，本研究旨在评估早期环境剥夺对小脑成熟和认知发展方面的作用。
比较 31 名曾被忽视和 30 名正常发育儿童的 12 个小脑亚区的结构磁共振成像体积与受试者相应的神经心理学测试得分。
被忽视儿童的上后小脑叶体积较小。此外，上后叶体积可介导组间神经心理学测试表现的差异，较大的体积可使记忆和计划测试的结果更好。
这些数据支持小脑结构的经验依赖性变化的重要性，并强调小脑在高级认知功能中的作用。
