[New discoveries regarding the physiopathology of the cerebellum]

To report recent advances regarding the physiopathology of the cerebellum in childhood.

Many advances have been made in understanding the physiopathology of the cerebellum so we have limited ourselves to evaluation of the data available on the possible part played by the cerebellum in cognitive function. We then give details of the congenital disorders of metabolism in which the cerebellum is directly involved, especially neuro imaging aspects. It is impossible to give details of each and every cerebellar syndrome with neurological clinical features so we describe only four disorders: Joubert s syndrome, the Dandy Walker syndrome, carbohydrate deficient glycoprotein syndrome and finally pontocerebellar hypoplasia in its two forms of presentation. We analyze recent advances in relation to clinical and neuro imaging aspects of various cerebellar disorders.

Great advances have been made in understanding the cerebellum in childhood. It is important to know about them because of their implications, especially in cognitive function.