Human cerebellum plays an important role in memory-timed finger movement: An fMRI study

Human cerebellum plays an important role in memory-timed finger movement: a n fMRI study. J. Neurophysiol. 83. 1079-1087, 2000. The purpose of this stu dy was to determine, by using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the ar eas of the brain activated during a memory-timed finger movement task and c ompare these with those activated during a visually cued movement task. Bec ause it is likely that subjects engage in subvocalization associated with c hronometric counting to achieve accurate timing during memory-timed movemen ts, the authors sought to determine the areas of the brain activated during a silent articulation task in which the subjects were instructed to reprod uce the same timing as for the memory-timed movement task Without any lip m ovements or vocalization. The memory-timed finger movement task induced act ivation of the anterior lobe of the cerebellum (lobules IV and V) bilateral ly, the contralateral primary motor area, the supplementary motor area (SMA ), the premotor area (PMA), the prefrontal cortex, and the posterior pariet al cortex bilaterally, compared with the resting condition. The same areas in the SMA and left prefrontal cortex were activated during the silent arti culation task compared with the resting condition. The anterior lobe of the cerebellum on both sides was also activated during the silent articulation task compared with the resting condition, but these activations did not re ach statistical significance (P < 0.05 corrected). In addition, the anterio r cerebellum on both sides showed significant activation during the memory- timed movement task when compared with the visually cued finger movement ta sk. The visually cued finger movement task specifically activated the ipsil ateral PMA and the intraparietal cortex bilaterally. The results indicate t hat the anterior lobe of the cerebellum of both sides, the SMA, and the lef t prefrontal cortex were probably involved in the generation of accurate ti ming, functioning as a clock within the CNS, and that the dorsal visual pat hway may be involved in the generation of visually cued movements.