Cerebellum’s role in thinking and behavior across tasks
Official title: Human Cerebellar Function in Multiple Task Domains
Funded at University of California Berkeley · NIH-11617687 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how the cerebellum helps people think, feel, and behave across different tasks, with a focus on understanding cognitive and affective processing in cerebellar disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2020 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $12,137 |
| NIH project number | 3R35NS116883-07S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11617687 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with cerebellar disorders or related cognitive/affective symptoms who can participate in brain imaging and cognitive tasks.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without access to imaging facilities or those unable to complete cognitive tasks may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers at UC Berkeley will study how the cerebellum supports thinking and behavior beyond movement. They will use brain imaging and behavioral tasks to test a new idea that the cerebellum continuously transforms internal representations to aid performance. The project aims to build a mechanistic explanation for cerebellar function that applies across many cognitive domains. This work could clarify why cerebellar disorders affect cognition and emotion, not just movement. The study involves adults with cerebellar conditions and healthy volunteers to compare brain activity and task performance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding cerebellar contributions to cognition could lead to better diagnostics and targeted therapies for cognitive and affective symptoms in cerebellar disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked cerebellar activity to cognitive tasks, with ongoing work suggesting broad involvement beyond movement.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ivry, Richard — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Ivry, Richard
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.