{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: MRI morphometry of the anterior and posterior cerebellar vermis and its relationship to sensorimotor and cognitive functions in children.
{Author}: Hodgdon EA;Anderson R;Azzawi HA;Wilson TW;Calhoun VD;Wang YP;Solis I;Greve DN;Stephen JM;Ciesielski KTR;
{Journal}: Dev Cogn Neurosci
{Volume}: 67
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024 Jun 25
{Factor}: 5.811
{DOI}: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101385
{Abstract}: <B>BACKGROUND: </B>The human cerebellum emerges as a posterior brain structure integrating neural networks for sensorimotor, cognitive, and emotional processing across the lifespan. Developmental studies of the cerebellar anatomy and function are scant. We examine age-dependent MRI morphometry of the anterior cerebellar vermis, lobules I-V and posterior neocortical lobules VI-VII and their relationship to sensorimotor and cognitive functions.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Typically developing children (TDC; n=38; age 9-15) and healthy adults (HAC; n=31; 18-40) participated in high-resolution MRI. Rigorous anatomically informed morphometry of the vermis lobules I-V and VI-VII and total brain volume (TBV) employed manual segmentation computer-assisted FreeSurfer Image Analysis Program [http://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu]. The neuropsychological scores (WASI-II) were normalized and related to volumes of anterior, posterior vermis, and TBV.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>TBVs were age independent. Volumes of I-V and VI-VII were significantly reduced in TDC. The ratio of VI-VII to I-V (∼60%) was stable across age-groups; I-V correlated with visual-spatial-motor skills; VI-VII with verbal, visual-abstract and FSIQ.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>In TDC neither anterior I-V nor posterior VI-VII vermis attained adult volumes. The "inverted U" developmental trajectory of gray matter peaking in adolescence does not explain this finding. The hypothesis of protracted development of oligodendrocyte/myelination is suggested as a contributor to TDC's lower cerebellar vermis volumes.