Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 14, 2025
Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum
Published on: February 15, 2015
The cerebellum and its network: Disrupted static and dynamic functional connectivity patterns and cognitive
Menno M Schoonheim1, Linda Douw1, Tommy Aa Broeders1
1Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, MS Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Background:
The impact of cerebellar damage and (dys)function on cognition remains understudied in multiple sclerosis.
Objective:
To assess the cognitive relevance of cerebellar structural damage and functional connectivity (FC) in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS).
Methods:
This study included 149 patients with early RRMS, 81 late RRMS, 48 SPMS and 82 controls. Cerebellar cortical imaging included fractional anisotropy, grey matter volume and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cerebellar FC was assessed with literature-based resting-state networks, using static connectivity (that is, conventional correlations), and dynamic connectivity (that is, fluctuations in FC strength). Measures were compared between groups and related to disability and cognition.
Results:
Cognitive impairment (CI) and cerebellar damage were worst in SPMS. Only SPMS showed cerebellar connectivity changes, compared to early RRMS and controls. Lower static FC was seen in fronto-parietal and default-mode networks. Higher dynamic FC was seen in dorsal and ventral attention, default-mode and deep grey matter networks. Cerebellar atrophy and higher dynamic FC together explained 32% of disability and 24% of cognitive variance. Higher dynamic FC was related to working and verbal memory and to information processing speed.
Conclusion:
Cerebellar damage and cerebellar connectivity changes were most prominent in SPMS and related to worse CI.
