cerebellum
16.5 | The Coordination and Gait Exams By the end of this section, you will be able to: Explain the relationship between the location of the cerebellum and its function in movement Chart the major divisions of the cerebellum List the major connections of the cerebellum Describe the relationship of the cerebellum to axial and appendicular musculature Explain the prevalent causes of cerebellar ataxia The role of the cerebellum is a subject of debate. There is an obvious connection to motor function based on the clinical implications of cerebellar damage. There is also strong evidence of the cerebellar role in procedural memory. The two are not incompatible; in fact, procedural memory is motor memory, such as learning to ride a bicycle. Significant work has been performed to describe the connections within the cerebellum that result in learning. A model for this learning is classical conditioning, as shown by the famous dogs from the physiologist Ivan Pavlovs work. This classical conditioning, which can be related to motor learning, fits with the neural connections of the cerebellum. The cerebellum is 10 percent of the mass of the brain and has varied functions that all point to a role in the motor system.