The Cerebellum and Cerebello-Thalamo-Cortical Channels Contribute to New Learning and Long-Term Memory of Motor Skill

Why do we have a cerebellum, a little brain? Although the cerebellum contains as many neurons as there are in the cerebral cortex, we are curiously poorly informed about the finer details of its function. Recent anatomical studies have revealed cerebellar projections from the separate portions of the interpositus nuclei into the primary motor cortex (M1) and prefrontal cortex. These findings suggest that the cerebellum might not only play a role in motor control but also in cognitive domains. In particular, we discuss here that these new neural pathways provide a neural substrate for acquisition and retention of motor learning