The cerebellum is a complex structure located in the posterior cranial fossa. It has connections to the brainstem, basal ganglia, and cerebral cortex and plays a vital role in the coordination of movements.
Lesions of the cerebellum produce neurological signs which are easy to recognize and have been shown to have excellent inter-rater reliability.[1] These signs evolve secondary to lesions in the vestibulocerebellar, vestibulospinal, and cerebellar ocular motor tracts. However, many signs such as gait ataxia and nystagmus may present in non-cerebellar lesions. A detailed neurological exam, combined with a good history, assists in accurate localization.
Early and accurate identification of these signs helps facilitate appropriate diagnostic testing and management, especially in time-sensitive emergency situations such as an acute cerebellar infarction. Utilizing a combination of signs at the bedside, such as HINTS testing is useful in broadly differentiating neurological signs of peripheral nervous system etiology from central etiologies (such as cerebellar lesions).[2]
Common cerebellar neurological signs are as follows:
Extraocular movements:
Scanning speech: Cerebellar disorders can cause ataxic speech, also known as scanning speech, where the patient usually breaks words into respective syllables.[8]
Dysmetria [9]:
Adiadochokinesia (dysdiadochokinesia) [5]:
Rebound phenomenon [5]:
Intention tremor [10]:
Ambulation:
Hypotonia:
Cerebellar mutism [14]:
A pneumonic to remember some of the cerebellar signs is DANISH
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[8] | Manto M, Cerebellar motor syndrome from children to the elderly. Handbook of clinical neurology. 2018; [PubMed PMID: 29903437] |
[9] | Manto M, Mechanisms of human cerebellar dysmetria: experimental evidence and current conceptual bases. Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation. 2009 Apr 13; [PubMed PMID: 19364396] |
[10] | Crawford P,Zimmerman EE, Tremor: Sorting Through the Differential Diagnosis. American family physician. 2018 Feb 1; [PubMed PMID: 29431985] |
[11] | Baker JM, Gait Disorders. The American journal of medicine. 2018 Jun; [PubMed PMID: 29288631] |
[12] | Walker HK, The Cerebellum 1990; [PubMed PMID: 21250233] |
[13] | Khasnis A,Gokula RM, Romberg's test. Journal of postgraduate medicine. 2003 Apr-Jun; [PubMed PMID: 12867698] |
[14] | Neuroanatomy of pediatric postoperative cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome and mutism. Neurology. 2020 Mar 3 [PubMed PMID: 32033987] |