Cerebellar involvement in cognitive flexibility

• Published in: Neurobiology of learning and memory 2009-10, Vol.92 (3), p.310-317
• Main Authors: De Bartolo, P., Mandolesi, L., Federico, F., Foti, F., Cutuli, D., Gelfo, F., Petrosini, L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological - physiology; Analysis of Variance; Animal cognition; Animals; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain; Cerebellar structures; Cerebellum - physiology; Cognition - physiology; Cognitive impairment; Cognitive plasticity; Emotions - physiology; Four-choice learning task; Functional Laterality; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Learning - physiology; Male; Mental Processes - physiology; Motor Activity - physiology; Neurobiology; Neuropsychological Tests; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Random Allocation; Rat; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1074-7427; 1095-9564
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2009.03.008

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the cerebellar structures are involved in functions requiring cognitive flexibility abilities. The flexibility of the hemicerebellectomized and control animals in learning a four-choice learning task, adapting to ever-changing response rules was investigated. While in the initial phase of the task both experimental groups exhibited similar performances, only the control animals significantly improved their performance as the sessions went by. The lack of improvement in lesioned animals’ performance rendered their responses particularly defective in the final phases of the task, when conversely intact animals performed best, exploiting their “learning to learn” ability. The findings demonstrate the defective influence of the cerebellar lesion on the acquisition, not the execution, of new responses. The results underline the crucial role of the cerebellum in mediating cognitive flexibility behaviors.