Diseases Of The Cerebellum: Characteristics And Symptoms
Generally when talking about the brain and/or cerebrum we usually think of the area known as the cerebral cortex, the most visible part from the outside. However, on rare occasions we tend to think of a structure located in the lower and posterior part between the brain stem and the occipital lobe, resembling a second brain in smaller dimensions. We are talking about the cerebellum.
This area is essential for our survival, so injuries or alterations in it involve the presence of serious complications at different levels, both motor and emotional and cognitive. That is why in this article we will do a brief review of different alterations and diseases of the cerebellum and how they can affect us.
The cerebellum is a structure shaped like a ball of wool that is located in the back of the brain, specifically behind the brain stem and below the occipital lobe, as I mentioned before.
Despite its size, it is a complex structure, which practically resembles a second brain: It has its own cortex with two hemispheres united by a structure called vermis, bundles of white matter, nuclei and cerebellar peduncles. It has both excitatory and inhibitory neurons.
Although it is apparently less mentioned than other cortical or subcortical structures, the cerebellum has great importance in different vital aspects for the human being, participating in different cognitive and language functions, in emotionality, in the feedback received from movement and in fine motor skills. In fact, this structure contains more than half of the neurons in the brain.
It has also been proven that the cerebellum is linked to the heartbeat and its frequency. However, it was traditionally considered to only have functions linked to motor skills, and it was not until more recent times that its relevance in other areas began to be proven.
We are therefore before a structure with a large number of functions so damage to the cerebellum can trigger serious repercussions on the person’s life.
General symptoms
Although the type and location of the specific damage will determine to a greater or lesser extent the symptoms that will manifest, broadly speaking we can say that a disease of the cerebellum or the presence of different lesions in it can cause the following symptoms.
1. Ataxia
Ataxia is the lack or absence of stability, coordination, and maintenance of posture and movement. In the case of damage to the cerebellum, it is one of the most recognizable symptoms. Damage in this region will cause imbalances and uncontrolled and imprecise movements.
2. Other motor disorders
The presence of uncontrolled tremors, gait maintenance disorders or muscular dystrophy can be caused by injury or disease of the cerebellum.
3. Alterations in memory
Memory, especially procedural memory, is linked to the cerebellum and the basal ganglia, among other areas. Destruction of part or all of the cerebellum causes serious difficulties in this type of learning.
4. Speech disorders
It is common that alterations of the cerebellum cause various forms of anomalies in communication and language expression. One of the most frequent is dysarthria.
Various studies reflect that the activity of the cerebellum has a certain level of relationship with the level of intelligence manifested. In this sense, a damaged cerebellum could contribute to decrease the intellectual abilities of those affected.
6. Perceptual alterations
Different diseases of the cerebellum can cause perceptual alterations, especially in areas linked to vision and hearing.
7. Participation in different mental disorders
Alteration or injury to the cerebellum or its functioning can help generate or maintain various types of psychological disorders, such as autism, anxiety, ADHD, schizophrenia or mood disorders (the latter especially linked to the vermis).
Main diseases of the cerebellum
There are different types of alterations and diseases that can affect this structure of the nervous system. Some of the different diseases of the cerebellum that we can find are the following.
1. Friedreich’s ataxia
This disease is one of the best known types of ataxia due to genetic causes. The most obvious symptoms are the presence of rigidity, ocular incoordination, instability and imbalance, dysarthria and different bone problems. Vision and hearing problems, tremors, and metabolic disorders such as diabetes may also appear. It is a neurodegenerative condition.
2. Tumors
The presence of a tumor inside the skull poses a serious risk for those who suffer from it, even if it is a benign cyst, since the pressure exerted against the skull destroys the system’s neurons. In the case of the cerebellum we can find tumors of different types as well as a link between the lesions they can cause in the cerebellum and the presence of cognitive impairment.
This disease of the cerebellum is caused due to a mutation of a gene on chromosome three which does not appear or is defective. Its best-known effect is the provocation of different tumors in different areas of the body, including the cerebellum.
4. Cerebellar syndrome
Disease characterized by the presence of ataxia, hypotonia, changes in gait, motor slowing, tremor during actions and/or nystagmus due to
5. Joubert syndrome
It is a disease of the cerebellum of genetic origin in which the vermis that connects both hemispheres of the cerebellum is deformed or it simply does not exist, so that communication between hemispheres cannot be carried out correctly. The patient usually presents symptoms similar to autism. It usually causes developmental delay, intellectual disability, echopraxia, hypotonia and ataxia, among other symptoms.
6. Cerebellitis
brain inflammation for various reasons, whether viral or bacterial (it can be produced, for example, by tuberculosis) or produced by infection of the cerebellum or nearby structures.
7. Dandy-Walker syndrome
This disease of the cerebellum causes part of the cerebellar vermis to be missing or deformed, in addition to having an enlarged fourth internal ventricle and producing cysts inside the skull. It usually causes muscular dystrophy, visual disturbances, spasticity and seizures.
8. Strokes
The presence of cerebral hemorrhages and strokes can cause neuronal death in much of the cerebellum. The symptoms depend on the location and degree of involvement of the area in question.
9. Injuries and trauma
Although it is not a disease of the cerebellum, the presence of injuries generated by different traumas can cause serious damage to this region of the brain. It is common that they cause motor slowing and that possible injuries and abilities take longer than usual to recover.
