Authors

Andreasen NC. O'Leary DS. Paradiso S. Cizadlo T. Arndt S. Watkins GL. Ponto LL. Hichwa RD.

 

Institution

Mental Health Clinical Research Center, University of Iowa College of

Medicine, Iowa City 52242-1057, USA. nancyandreasen@uiowa.edu

 

Title

The cerebellum plays a role in conscious episodic memory retrieval.

 

Source

Human Brain Mapping. 8(4):226-34, 1999.

 

Abstract

The cerebellum has traditionally been considered to be primarily dedicated to

motor functions. Its phylogenetic development and connectivity suggest,

however, that it also may play a role in cognitive processes in the human

brain. In order to examine a potential cognitive role for the cerebellum in

human beings, a positron emission tomography (PET) study was conducted during

a "pure thought experiment": subjects intentionally recalled a specific past

personal experience (consciously retrieved episodic memory). Since there was

no motor or sensory input or output, the design eliminated the possibility

that cerebellar changes in blood flow were due to motor activity. During

silent recall of a consciously retrieved episodic memory, activations were

observed in the right lateral cerebellum, left medial dorsal thalamus, medial

and left orbital frontal cortex, anterior cingulate, and a left parietal

region. These activations confirm a cognitive role for the cerebellum, which

may participate in an interactive cortical-cerebellar network that initiates

and monitors the conscious retrieval of episodic memory.