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. 2025 Apr 3;20(4):e0321304.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0321304. eCollection 2025.

Cognitive cerebellum dominates motor cerebellum in functional decline of older adults with mild cognitive impairment

Maria Devita  1   2 , Alessandra Coin  2 , Chiara Ceolin  2   3 , Giulia Debiasi  4   5 , Mariagiulia Anglani  6 , Chiara Begliomini  1   7 , Simone Cauzzo  8 , Francesca Biasin  9 , Carlo Gabelli  10 , Alessandra Codemo  10 , Michela Sarlo  11 , Marina De Rui  2 , Giuseppe Sergi  2 , Alessandra Bertoldo  5   7 , Daniela Mapelli  1
Affiliations

Cognitive cerebellum dominates motor cerebellum in functional decline of older adults with mild cognitive impairment

Maria Devita et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Objectives: The present study aims to investigate the role that cognitive cerebellar lobules, compared to the motor ones, could have on performance abilities control in older individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).

Methods: Thirty-six participants with MCI were retrospectively recruited from the outpatient clinic for Cognitive Decline and Dementia at Geriatric Clinic and Regional Center for Brain Aging. Cognition was assessed through a reaction time (RT) task in which a mere cognitive (COG) component (RT/S1 COG, RT/S3 COG) has been isolated from a motor (MOT) component (RT/S1 MOT, RT/S3 MOT). Performance abilities were evaluated using Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Tinetti Scale, and Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Finally, structural neuroimaging was conducted using magnetic resonance imaging at 3T.

Results: Left_Crus_I showed a correlation with SPPB, ADL%, and RT/S3 COG. Vermis_VI and Right_VI were correlated to ADL%, and RT/S3 COG with the entire lobule VI. ADL% showed negative correlations with RT/S1 COG, RT/S3 COG, and RT/S3 MOT. In the regression analysis, the strongest associations were found between RT/S3 COG and SPPB gait speed (R2 = 0.44, p = 0.03), Tinetti gait speed (R2 = 0.62, p < 0.001), and ADL% (R2 = 0.78, p < 0.001). Regarding cerebellar volumes, Right_Crus_I was associated with all SPPB tests, while Left_VI was associated with functional autonomy (ADL%: R2 = 0.78, p = 0.04). No associations were found between performance variables and total intracranial volume.

Conclusions: This study highlights that the cognitive cerebellar component dominates over the motor one even in the control of physical and functional capabilities of older adults with MCI.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Simple linear correlations between cognitive cerebellar volumes, Reaction Times and performance features.
Notes: Correlations were assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) for variables that were normally distributed or Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (rs) when variables were not normally distributed. Abbreviations: ADL =  Activity of Daily Living; eTIV =  Estimated Total Intracranial Volume; GM =  Grey Matter cerebellar volume; IADL =  Instrumental Activity of Daily Living; S1 cog =  Time reaction, first test, cognitive performance; S1 mot =  Time reaction, first test, motor performance; S3 cog =  Time reaction, third test, cognitive performance; S3 mot =  Time reaction, third test, motor performance; SPPB =  Short Physical Performance Battery. Asterisks *  are referred to p < 0.05.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Statistically significant correlations between cerebellar regions and motor areas and cognitive performance: Results of multiple regression analysis.
Abbreviations: ADL =  Activity of Daily Living; IADL =  Instrumental Activity of Daily Living; SPPB =  Short Physical Performance Battery.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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