To control balance, coordination, movement, and motor skills, the cerebellum receives messages from muscles, tendons, joints, and structures in the ear.

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- Works with the supplementary motor area (SMA) to regulate ongoing movements and create uniform movement.
- The size of the cerebellum is positively related to the complexity of an organism's movement capabilities.
- The outer layer, or "cerebellar cortex," contains Purkinje cells involved in guiding movement.
- Receives and sends information to the sensory organs of the proprioceptive and kinesthetic systems to help process body position and movement.

Cerebellum and Movement

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

- Cerebral cortex sends electrical signals (outputs) along the purkinje cells that make up this structure 
- As they travel towards the end of these cells, they create an inhibitory signal that is passed on to deeper cerebellar cells, which ultimately inhibit these neurons and guide movement in this way

Cerebral Cortex and Neural Inhibition

- In patients that have damage to the cerebellum, they retain their ability to start/stop movements, but have difficulty in achieving "fluid" or "typical" movement patterns 

Damage to Cerebellum

Postural sway is the usually subtle horizontal movement our bodies use to find our center of gravity. Postural sway is present in all individuals as it is necessary for maintaining balance during motor tasks such as walking, running, or even just standing.

Postural Sway

A professional dancer performs a complex routine that involves a rapid sequence of precise, coordinated, and fluid movements. A specific brain structure, which constantly receives information about the body's position and movement, is critical for this level of performance. Based on its role, what is the most likely consequence if this specific structure were impaired?

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