Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Cerebellum: Anatomical Regions

Cerebellum: Anatomical Regions

The cerebellum, also known as the "little brain," is located in the posterior cranial fossa, inferior to the tentorium cerebelli and dorsal to the brainstem. It plays a significant role in motor control, coordination, and proprioception.
Cerebellar Structure
Externally, the cerebellum features a highly convoluted surface with numerous folia (narrow ridges) separated by shallow sulci (grooves). The cerebellum is divided into two hemispheres by a thin median structure known as the vermis. The...

Cerebrum: Anatomical Overview II

Cerebrum: Anatomical Overview II

Each cerebral hemisphere can be divided into three main regions. The outermost region, the cerebral cortex, is a thin layer (2 to 4 millimeters thick) made up of gray matter, consisting of neuron cell bodies, dendrites, glial cells, and blood vessels. The middle region, or white matter, is primarily composed of myelinated nerve fibers organized into three types of large tracts: association fibers, commissures, and projection fibers. Association fibers connect different areas within the same...

Cerebrum: Anatomical Overview I

Cerebrum: Anatomical Overview I

The main and largest component of the human brain is the cerebrum. The cerebrum consists of two main parts: the cerebral cortex, an outer layer with wrinkles or folds known as gyri and shallow grooves called sulci, and a deeper region beneath it. The cerebrum divides into two distinct hemispheres and contains five different lobes: the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, and insula. The central sulcus separates the frontal and parietal lobes and two functionally important gyri — the...

Synteny and Evolution

Synteny and Evolution

John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral chromosome underwent...

Anatomy of the Brain: Ventricles

Anatomy of the Brain: Ventricles

There are hollow fluid-filled cavities known as ventricles deep inside the human brain. There are two lateral ventricles, one in each cerebral hemisphere, and each has three different projections — the anterior, inferior, and posterior horns visible from the lateral side. A thin membrane called the septum pellucidum separates the two lateral ventricles. The slender third ventricle in the diencephalon is connected to each lateral ventricle via a channel called the interventricular foramen. The...

Organization of the Brain

Organization of the Brain

The brain is an integral component of the nervous system and serves as the center for processing sensory inputs, making decisions, and directing bodily actions. This complex organ is organized into three primary sections: the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain, each responsible for a range of vital functions.
Hindbrain
The hindbrain, located at the base of the brain, plays a vital role in regulating automatic processes that sustain life. It includes the medulla oblongata, which is essential for...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

CAT-2 amplifies the agonist-evoked force of airway smooth muscle by enhancing spermine-mediated phosphatidylinositol-(4)-phosphate-5-kinase-gamma activity.

American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology·2007

Same author

Rhox: a new homeobox gene cluster.

Cell·2005

Same author

Mechanisms underlying growth hormone effects in augmenting nitric oxide production and protein tyrosine nitration during endotoxin challenge.

Endocrinology·2004

Same author

Interferon-gamma regulates nucleoside transport systems in macrophages through signal transduction and activator of transduction factor 1 (STAT1)-dependent and -independent signalling pathways.

The Biochemical journal·2003

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Ex Vivo Culture of Chick Cerebellar Slices and Spatially Targeted Electroporation of Granule Cell Precursors

Ex Vivo Culture of Chick Cerebellar Slices and Spatially Targeted Electroporation of Granule Cell Precursors

Published on: December 14, 2015

The missing link: evolution of the primate cerebellum.

Carol MacLeod¹

¹Department of Anthropology, Langara College, Vancouver, BC, Canada. cmacleod@langara.bc.ca

Progress in Brain Research

|January 11, 2012

Summary

The cerebellum, once overlooked, is now recognized as crucial for cognitive functions. Neuroimaging reveals its role as a "missing link" in brain connectivity and evolution.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience
Comparative Neuroanatomy

Background:

The cerebellum has historically been underestimated, viewed as subordinate to the cerebrum.
Emerging neuroimaging techniques are redefining the cerebellum's role in cognitive processes.
The cerebellum is increasingly recognized as integral to understanding neurological underpinnings of cognition.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight the evolving understanding of the cerebellum's cognitive functions.
To emphasize the importance of neuroimaging in defining cerebellar-neocortical connections.
To advocate for a comparative neuroanatomical framework for studying cerebellar evolution.

Main Methods:

Neuroimaging studies to define neocortical-cerebellar connections.

More Related Videos

A Standardized Pipeline for Examining Human Cerebellar Grey Matter Morphometry using Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging

A Standardized Pipeline for Examining Human Cerebellar Grey Matter Morphometry using Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Published on: February 4, 2022

Understanding Cerebellar Pattern Formation

Understanding Cerebellar Pattern Formation

Published on: November 1, 2007

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 26, 2026

Ex Vivo Culture of Chick Cerebellar Slices and Spatially Targeted Electroporation of Granule Cell Precursors

Ex Vivo Culture of Chick Cerebellar Slices and Spatially Targeted Electroporation of Granule Cell Precursors

Published on: December 14, 2015

A Standardized Pipeline for Examining Human Cerebellar Grey Matter Morphometry using Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging

A Standardized Pipeline for Examining Human Cerebellar Grey Matter Morphometry using Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Published on: February 4, 2022

Understanding Cerebellar Pattern Formation

Understanding Cerebellar Pattern Formation

Published on: November 1, 2007

Functional localization of cerebellar cortical areas for cognitive tasks.

Comparative volumetric analyses of primate cerebellar circuitry.

Main Results:

Cerebellar connections with the neocortex are becoming more precisely defined.
Functionally specific areas of the cerebellar cortex are being identified for human cognitive tasks.
Comparative studies are isolating key elements of primate cerebellar circuitry.

Conclusions:

The cerebellum is a critical component in the neurological basis of numerous cognitive domains.
Advancements in neuroimaging are poised to facilitate a comparative model of primate neurocircuitry evolution.
Future research will likely yield significant progress in understanding the cerebellum's role in cognition and evolution.