Cerebellum

The cerebellum is located at the base of the brain, below the cerebrum and next to the midbrain. The word cerebellum is latin for “little brain.” While the cerebellum only is relatively small (about 10% of the brain), it contains about 80% of the neurons in the brain.

Functions of the Cerebellum

The cerebellum is responsible for movement and coordination. More specifically, the cerebellum controls:

  • balance

  • coordinating movement

  • vision and eye movement

  • learning complex movements

Ataxia

Ataxia is defined as the loss of coordination. Some symptoms of ataxia include balance problems as well as clumsiness. Damage to the cerebellum can cause ataxia. Additionally, damage to the spinal cord can cause ataxia, as the spinal cord communicates information from the cerebellum (and the larger brain) to the rest of the body.