# Human Cerebellar Function in Multiple Task Domains

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · 2020 · $709,988

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The goal of this project is to extend our understanding of the cerebellum, and in particular, how this subcortical
structure contributes to human cognition. Diverse lines of research provide compelling evidence that the
cerebellum is not only involved in sensorimotor control, but also contributes to a range of cognitive functions.
For example, the neuroimaging literature has produced maps of the cerebellum that exhibit a stable functional
organization, with much of the cerebellar cortex showing hemodynamic changes that cannot be attributed to
movement. Moreover, patients with cerebellar disorders exhibit behavioral impairments on tasks assessing
cognitive and affective processing. However, our understanding of the functional role of the cerebellum in
cognitive domains remains rudimentary: Functional hypotheses have either been largely descriptive or targeted
to account for cerebellar function in a relatively narrow, task-specific manner. The research program outlined in
this proposal is designed to address this issue, seeking to develop a mechanistic account of cerebellar
function. Theoretically, the work will be guided by a novel hypothesis, namely that the cerebellum is essential
for processing that requires the continuous transformation of an internal representation, or CoRT(continuous
representational transformation). This hypothesis offers a parsimonious account of how the cerebellum
supports performance in diverse task domains. In the context of sensorimotor control, CoRT would entail
computations required to move a limb from one position to another and to anticipate the sensory
consequences of that movement. In other task domains, the continuous transformation of an internal
representation may optimize anticipatory behavior; for example, perception frequently involves the internal
transformation of the sensory input to account for atypical viewpoints, and social judgments may benefit
continuously simulating the intended actions of another individual. The research program will involve the
integrated use of behavioral, computational, and neuroimaging studies. One major component of the
behavioral work will focus on the performance of individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA). This work will
involve traditional on-site experiments spanning a broad range of task domains to test the CoRT hypothesis, as
well as an ambitious on-line testing program. Through an outreach program facilitated by SCA support
networks and collaborations with an international team of researchers, the on-line program should produce a
unique database to provide well-powered tests of functional hypotheses, and examine relationships between
behavioral performance, etiology, and clinical ratings, and relate these measures with region-specific pathology
in the cerebellum. A second major component will build on recent neuroimaging work with healthy young adults
that has provided a comprehensive functional map of the human cerebellum though the use of a larg...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9986471
- **Project number:** 1R35NS116883-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
- **Principal Investigator:** RICHARD IVRY
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $709,988
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-05-01 → 2028-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9986471

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9986471, Human Cerebellar Function in Multiple Task Domains (1R35NS116883-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9986471. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*