Current perspectives on the deep cerebellar nuclei in research on psychiatric and metabolic disorders

Abstract

The cerebellum has historically been viewed as a key center for motor control and motor learning, with research primarily focusing on Purkinje cells as the core elements of its circuitry. However, accumulating evidence suggests a broader role for the cerebellum, extending to non-motor functions such as emotion, cognition, autonomic regulation, and metabolic control. Recent technical advances in neuroscience have facilitated the functional analysis of the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN), which integrate signals from the cerebellar cortex and transmit them to the rest of the brain. This review will focus on the DCN, summarizing current findings on their involvement in psychiatric disorders and metabolic regulation.