Is there an “antisocial” cerebellum? Evidence from disorders other than autism characterized by abnormal social behaviours

• Published in: Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry 2019-03, Vol.89, p.1-8
• Main Author: Moreno-Rius, Josep
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antisocial personality disorder; Autism; cerebellum; Social anxiety disorder; Social behavior
• ISSN: 0278-5846; 1878-4216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.08.025

The cerebellum is a hindbrain structure which involvement in functions not related to motor control and planning is being increasingly recognized in the last decades. Studies on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have reported cerebellar involvement on these conditions characterized by social deficits and repetitive motor behavior patterns. Although such an involvement hints at a possible cerebellar participation in the social domain, the fact that ASD patients present both social and motor deficits impedes drawing any firm conclusion regarding cerebellar involvement in pathological social behaviours, probably influenced by the classical view of the cerebellum as a purely “motor” brain structure. Here, we suggest the cerebellum can be a key node for the production and control of normal and particularly aberrant social behaviours, as indicated by its involvement in other neuropsychiatric disorders which main symptom is deregulated social behaviour. Therefore, in this work, we briefly review cerebellar involvement in social behavior in rodent models, followed by discussing the findings linking the cerebellum to those other psychiatric conditions characterized by defective social behaviours. Finally, possible commonalities between the studies and putative underlying impaired functions will be discussed and experimental approaches both in patients and experimental animals will also be proposed, aimed at stimulating research on the role of the cerebellum in social behaviours and disorders characterized by social impairments, which, if successful, will definitely help reinforcing the proposed cerebellar involvement in the social domain. •Social behaviour-related brain areas are connected with the cerebellum.•Animal studies altering cerebellar function result in impaired social behaviours.•Social behaviour-related disorders' patients show altered cerebellar function.•Impaired social cognition-related processes are proposed to explain the results.