MIT researchers have expanded our understanding of the brain’s language network, discovering dedicated language-processing regions within the cerebellum – a region traditionally associated with movement. Led by Evelina Fedorenko at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, the team analysed functional brain imaging data from over 800 participants and published their findings in Neuron on January 21. This groundbreaking work identifies four cerebellar areas consistently engaged during language tasks, challenging the long-held view of the cerebellum’s role. “It’s like there’s this region in the cerebellum that we’ve been forgetting about for a long time,” says Colton Casto, a graduate student involved in the research, emphasising that “If you’re a language researcher, you should be paying attention to the cerebellum.”
Cerebellar Contributions to Human Language Network Identified
For years, the cerebellum has been primarily understood as the brain’s movement coordinator, but a new investigation reveals a far more nuanced role, particularly in language processing. Researchers at MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research have identified four distinct cerebellar areas consistently engaged when individuals perform language tasks, extending the known boundaries of the brain’s language network. This discovery, published January 21 in Neuron, challenges the traditional view of language as solely a neocortical function.
The team leveraged 15 years of functional brain imaging data collected while volunteers completed linguistic and non-linguistic tasks in an MRI scanner to pinpoint these cerebellar regions. This “cerebellar satellite” exhibited activity patterns remarkably similar to those observed in the neocortical language network, remaining silent during non-linguistic tasks but activating during language use. “Its contribution to language seems pretty similar,” Casto notes.
Evelina Fedorenko explains that this cerebellar region may serve as a crucial integration point: “We’ve found that language is distinct from many, many other things — but at some point, complex cognition requires everything to work together… Maybe parts of the cerebellum serve that function.” Further research will explore whether this area is particularly vital for language acquisition and potential therapeutic interventions for aphasia, with Fedorenko suggesting it “may provide a very interesting potential target to help recovery.”
Fedorenko Lab Maps Language Activity Using Functional Brain Imaging
Scientists have identified a component of the brain’s dedicated language network residing within this region, challenging traditional views of language processing. This systematic approach leveraged data from over 800 participants engaged in tasks ranging from reading sentences to memorizing spatial patterns, allowing researchers to isolate brain regions exclusively dedicated to language.
Right Posterior Cerebellum Functions as a “Satellite” Region
While traditionally associated with motor coordination, the cerebellum now appears to house a “satellite” component of the language network, specifically located in the right posterior region. Analysis of scans from over 800 individuals revealed four cerebellar areas active during language tasks, but one stood out. This specific region remained silent during non-linguistic activities, mirroring the exclusive dedication to language seen in neocortical areas. The team believes this “satellite” isn’t simply replicating neocortical function, given the differing neuronal organization, but may instead be crucial for integrating information across the cortex—a function vital for complex cognition.
It’s like there’s this region in the cerebellum that we’ve been forgetting about for a long time.
Potential for Cerebellar Stimulation in Aphasia Recovery
Researchers are increasingly focused on the cerebellum’s role in language, moving beyond its traditionally understood function of motor coordination, and opening new avenues for treating aphasia – language impairment resulting from brain damage. This work, reported January 21 in Neuron, suggests a “satellite” component to the established language network resides within this region, offering a novel target for therapeutic intervention. The team, analyzing data from over 800 participants, identified a specific region in the right posterior cerebellum exhibiting activity patterns strikingly similar to those observed in neocortical language areas. Unlike core neocortical language regions dedicated solely to linguistic processing, three of the identified cerebellar areas also activated during non-linguistic tasks, hinting at a broader role in cognitive integration.
