The Cerebellum: Adaptive Prediction for Movement and Cognition

Abstract

Over the past 30 years, cumulative evidence has indicated that cerebellar function extends beyond sensorimotor control. This view has emerged from studies of neuroanatomy, neuroimaging, neuropsychology and brain stimulation, with the results implicating the cerebellum in domains as diverse as attention, language, executive function and social cognition. Although the literature provides sophisticated models of how the cerebellum helps refine movements, it remains unclear how the core mechanisms of these models can be applied when considering a broader conceptualization of cerebellar function. In light of recent multidisciplinary findings, we consider two key concepts that have been suggested as general computational principles of cerebellar function, prediction and error-based learning, examining how these might be relevant in the operation of cognitive cerebro-cerebellar loops.

The Cerebellum in Social Cognition

“…As hypothesized for other functions (Andreasen et al, 1998;Schmahmann, 1998), prediction and anticipation afforded by the cerebellum may facilitate speedy, adaptive social cognition and behavior-yet, the remainder of the network may be able to sufficiently compensate for acquired cerebellar lesions (Sokolov et al, 2017). This compensatory potential may be limited in congenital or early developmental damage to the cerebellum, including neuropsychiatric disease and concussion (Wang et al, 2014;Ryan et al, 2017), or concomitant changes in affect and emotional control potentially interfering with social behavior, such as in the cerebellar cognitive and affective syndrome (Schmahmann and Sherman, 1998), for which a scale has been recently introduced (Hoche et al, 2017).…”

“…These operations are believed to involve outcome prediction based on forward models and signaling deviations from these outcomes (prediction errors) to the cerebral cortex, a hypothesis supported by recent electrophysiology data on non-sensorimotor expectations in rodents (Wagner et al, 2017) and concepts of ASD as a prediction deficit with prominent cerebellar pathology (Sinha et al, 2014). As anticipation, adaptation and learning appear indispensable for successful social behavior, extending these core cerebellar functional roles from sensorimotor models to those of social perception and behavior would seem reasonable, although several issues remain to be carefully considered and explored (Sokolov et al, 2017).…”

“…As to the mechanisms, because of the similar cytoarchitecture across the cerebellum, it has been repeatedly suggested its operations for motor control and coordination may also apply to cognition (Wolpert et al, 1998;Ito, 2008;Sokolov et al, 2017). These operations are believed to involve outcome prediction based on forward models and signaling deviations from these outcomes (prediction errors) to the cerebral cortex, a hypothesis supported by recent electrophysiology data on non-sensorimotor expectations in rodents (Wagner et al, 2017) and concepts of ASD as a prediction deficit with prominent cerebellar pathology (Sinha et al, 2014).…”

Commitment of protein p53 and amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) in aging of human cerebellum

“…The role of the cerebellum in motor coordination of the body movement is well known [8,11,35] but increasing evidence shows that the cerebellum plays also a significant role in cognitive functions such as attention, language, emotional behaviour, sleep, and even non-somatic visceral responses [21,29].…”

“…Moreover, brain amyloidosis-related changes in cerebro-cerebellar coupling indicate brain regions with particular vulnerability to amyloid-associated pathology [29,30].…”