New Perspectives on Cerebellar Function: Implications for Mental Health
The cerebellum has historically been associated with motor coordination, but our understanding of this structure is rapidly evolving. Research findings from the past two decades suggest that cerebellar circuits also play a broader role in cognitive, emotional, and social processes.
Cerebellar development and dysfunction have been linked to a variety of psychiatric disorders such ASD, ADHD, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Although the role of cerebellar circuits in psychiatric disorders is suggested by functional and structural imaging studies in humans, there have been relatively few studies that relate cerebellar dysfunction to specific symptoms in psychiatric disorders or provide a mechanistic understanding of the specific contributions of cerebellar circuits to cognitive function.
Recent technological advances in imaging, non-invasive brain stimulation, and molecular tools for animal models provide new opportunities to advance our understanding of non-motor cerebellar function and its role in mental health.
This workshop will bring together experts in basic and translational science to discuss the state of the field and identify opportunities to advance our understanding of how the cerebellum and its development contribute to cognition, emotion, and social behavior in both healthy and psychiatric populations.
