BARBARA'S PEARLS

Scientists thought they fully understood the functions of the cerebellum, an ancient part of the brain that is also found in fish, lizards and mammals, so mostly they but it in a conceptual box. It has long been thought to make sensory-motor functions, such as walking, smoother and faster.

According to Dr. Jeremy Schmahmann at Harvard, “Isn’t only involved in sensory-motor function, it’s involved in everything we do.” “It’s been woefully understudied,” says Dr. Nico Dosenbach, a professor of neurology at Washington University whose lab conducted the most recent study on the cerebellum.

“What’s happened over time is that the cerebellum has expanded enormously,” says Dr. Schuman. And this extra capacity has allowed it to enhance cognition and emotion as well as motor function. It does this without our conscious awareness. A malfunctioning cerebellum may be involved with multiple brain disorders from autism spectrum, schizophrenia, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder.

New diagnostic tools and people willing to question the conventional wisdom turn up new possibilities on a regular basis.

What do you assume is true about disease and healing? Is there a chance you could challenge your limitations?