Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026

Cerebellar Regional Dissection for Molecular Analysis
Published on: December 5, 2020
Cerebellar vermis abnormalities and cognitive functions in individuals with Williams syndrome
Deny Menghini1, Margherita Di Paola, Riccardo Murri
1Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy. menghinideny@gmail.com
Abstract:
In Williams syndrome (WS) cerebellar measures were only indirectly related to behavioral outcomes. T1-weighted magnetic resonance images and neuropsychological data were acquired to investigate whether cerebellar vermis differences were present in 12 WS individuals compared with 13 chronological age-matched controls and whether WS cerebellar vermis measures were related to cognitive scores. In WS participants, we observed a significant increase in the volume of the posterior superior cerebellar vermis (lobules VI-VII) and an atypical ratio between width and height of the cerebellar vermis. Furthermore, we found an inverse correlation between cerebellar posterior vermis volume and scores on implicit learning, phonological fluency and the verbal short-term memory tasks. The present study supported a role for the posterior cerebellar vermis in higher cognitive processes and indicated that the cerebellar vermis abnormalities (enlargement) in WS individuals have an effect in worsening the cognitive performance in specific domains.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Language and Cognition
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
Cerebellum: Anatomical Regions
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...
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways
Cerebral Hemispheres

