IS 19. Using non-invasive brain stimulation to study cerebellar contributions to motor learning

Abstract

The cerebellum is a crucial structure involved in motor control and learning processes. Although imaging and studies in patients with cerebellar disease have helped understand the cerebellar role in different motor behaviors, little is known about the neurophysiological changes occurring in the cerebellum during human motor learning. In this talk, I will present a series of recent studies that assessed cerebellar neurophysiological contributions to learning and how manipulation of cerebellar excitability affects motor learning processes. First, I will describe how cerebellar excitability is specifically modulated in association to motor learning. Then, I will show that it is possible to modulate cerebellar excitability in humans using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Finally, I will present 2 studies that found that enhancing cerebellar excitability with anodal tDCS improves learning of a hand and a locomotor behavior. These investigations indicate that it is possible to determine neurophysiological processes underlying behaviors that involve the cerebellum, that we can up-and down-regulate cerebellar excitability using non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, and that this modulation has an impact in behavior. These results are promising not only to advance our understanding of the role of the cerebellum in motor control, but also to develop strategies to enhance performance, learning and possibly recovery in patients with brain lesions.