Importance and Functionality of the Cerebellum and the Link to
Overall Brain Development and Performance
Cerebellar dysfunction is evident in several developmental disorders, including autism, ADHD and dyslexia, resulting in symptoms of disordered movement, cognition, emotional regulation and behaviors (Stoodley, 2016). BrainyAct® is a cerebellar-based brain optimization program for school-aged children and young adults with special needs. It’s designed to strengthen the cerebellum and build connections with the rest of the brain to enhance a child’s learning and development state and elevate them to a whole new starting point in life.
Studies show that the most active area of the brain in a healthy SPECT brain scan is the cerebellum. When it’s weakened or disconnected it’s a sign of trouble for the rest of the brain due to how it extensively connects to all areas of the brain and its ability to automatize skills. A weakened cerebellum will cause symptoms of poor learning abilities as well as attention, behavior, emotional control and social interactions. Stimulation of the vestibular system (your inner ear), which is done through coordinated sensory-motor movement and balance, is crucial for activation and development of the cerebellum. Further activation of the cerebellum with the cortex solidifies these pathways.
Supporting Research
The cerebellum and neurodevelopmental disorders
Catherine J. Stoodley
(February 2016)
Effectiveness of coordination exercise in improving cognitive function in older adults: a prospective study
Timothy CY Kwok. KC Lam, PS Wong, WW Chau, Kenneth SL. Yuen, KT Ting, Elite WK Chung, Jessie CY. I, Florence KY HO (September 2011)
Acute coordinative exercise improves attentional performance in adolescents.
Henning Budde, Claudia Voelcker-Rehageb, Sascha PietraByk-Kendziorraa, Pedro Ribeiroc, Gunter Tidowa (June 2008)
Executive Functions Annual Review of Psychology
A Diamond (2013) 64 (64), 135-168
The cerebellar cognitive affective / Schmahmann syndrome scale
Franziska Hoche, Xavior Guell, Mark G Vangel, Janet C Sherman, Jeremy D Schmahmann,
(December 2017)
Evidence for Topographic Organization in the Cerebellum of Motor Control Versus Cognitive and Affective Processing
Catherine J. Stoodley and Jeremy D. Schmahmann. “
(2010)
Altered Cerebellar Connectivity in Autism and Cerebellar-Mediated Rescue of Autism-Related Behaviors in Mice
Stoodley, Catherine J., Anila M. D’Mello, Jacob Ellegood, Vikram Jakkamsetti, Pei Liu, Mary Beth Nebel, Jennifer M. Gibson, Elyza Kelly, Fantao Meng, Christopher A. Cano, Juan M. Pascual, Stewart H. Mostofsky, Jason P. Lerch, and Peter T. Tsai
(December 2017)
Balance deficits and ADHD symptoms in dedication-naïve school-aged boys
Jana Konicarova, Petr Bob, Jiri Raboch
(January 2004)
Interhemispheric asymmetry of regional cerebral blood flow in prepubescent boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
DD Langleben, G Austin, G Krikorian, HW Ridehuber, ML Goris, HW Strauss
(December 2001)
Dynamic balance in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and its relationship with cognitive functions and cerebellum
Michal Goetz, Jaroslava Paulasova Schwabova, Zdenek Hlavka, Radek Ptacek
(March 2017)
Aberrant cerebellar-cerebral functional connectivity in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder
Ryuzo Hanaie, Ikuko Mohri, Kuriko Kagitani-Shimono, Masaya Tachibana, Junko Matsuzaki, Ikuko Hirata, Fumiyo Nagatani, Yoshiyuki Watanabe, Taiichi Katayama, Masako Taniike
(November 2018)
Sound facilitates visual learning
Aaron R Seitz, Robyn Kim, Ladan Shams
(July 2006)
Development of eye-movement control
Beatriz Luna, Katerina Velanova, Charles F Geier
(December 2018)
The canonical relationship between sensory-motor functioning and cognitive processing in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Andrew S Davis, Lisa A Pass, W Holmes Finch, Raymond S Dean, Richard W Woodcock
(May 2009)
Effect of interactive metronome training on children with ADHD
RJ Shaffer, LE Jacokes, JF Cassily, SI Greenspan, RF Tuchman, PJ Stemmer Jr
(April 2001)
The integration of the neuroscience, child public health, and education practice: Hemisphere-specific remediation strategies as a discipline partnered rehabilitation tool in ADD/ADHD
Gerry Leisman, Raed Maulem, Calixto Machando
(July 2013)
Efficacy of dynamic visuo-attentional interventions for reading in dyslexic and neurotypical children: A systematic review
Jessica L Peters, Lauren De Losa, Edith L Bavin, Sheila G Crewther
(May 2019)
Strengthening connections: functional connectivity and brain plasticity
Kelly C Castellanos
(March 2014)
Effects of visual hemisphere-specific stimulation versus reading-focused training in dyslexic children
Maria Luisa Lorusso, Andrea Facoetti, Pierluigi Paganoni, Marco Pezzani, Massimo Molteni
(April 2006)
Close interrelation of motor development and cognitive development and of the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex
Adele Diamond
(February 2000)
Vestibulo-ocular reflex function in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders
Tana B Carson, Bradley J Wilkes, Kunal Patel, Jill L Pineda, Ji H Ko, Karl M Newell, James W Bodfish, Michael C Schubert, Krestin Radonovich, Keith D White, Mark H Lewis
(February 2017)
Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have impaired balance function: involvement of somatosensory, visual and vestibular systems
Selina BM Shum, Marco YC Pang
(August 2009)
Sensory-motor deficits in children with developmental coordination disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autistic disorder
Jan P Piek, Murray J Dyck
(October 2004)
Sensorimotor therapy: using stereotypic movements and vestibular stimulation to increase sensorimotor proficiency of children with attentional and motor difficulties
Mats Niklasson, Irene Niklasson, Torsten Norlander
(June 2009)
