QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Herston 4006, Australia.
School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Brisbane 4067, Australia.
Cereb Cortex. 2017 Dec 1;27(12):5652-5662. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhw334.
The crucial role of the cerebellum in motor learning and coordination is very well known. Considerable interest has recently shifted toward its contribution to nonmotor tasks, such as working memory, emotion, and language. However, the cognitive role and functional subdivisions of the cerebellum, particularly in dynamic, ecologically realistic contexts, are not yet established. By analyzing functional neuroimaging data acquired while participants viewed a short dramatic movie, we found that posterior and inferior cerebellar regions are reliably engaged in dynamic perceptual and affective processes with no explicit motor component. These cerebellar regions show significant relevance to visual salience and unexpected turning points of the movie. Our results demonstrate that distinct functional subdivisions of the cerebellum are robustly engaged in real-life cognitive processes, playing specific roles through a dynamic interaction with higher order regions in the cerebral cortex.
小脑在运动学习和协调中的关键作用是众所周知的。最近，人们对小脑在非运动任务（如工作记忆、情绪和语言）中的作用产生了极大的兴趣。然而，小脑的认知作用和功能分区，特别是在动态、生态现实的环境中，尚未确定。通过分析参与者观看一部短的戏剧性电影时获得的功能神经影像学数据，我们发现，小脑的后下部区域在没有明显运动成分的情况下，确实参与了动态感知和情感处理过程。这些小脑区域与视觉显著性以及电影中意想不到的转折点显著相关。我们的研究结果表明，小脑的不同功能分区在现实生活中的认知过程中得到了有力的参与，通过与大脑皮层的高级区域进行动态交互，发挥着特定的作用。
