Transdiagnostic emergence of cerebellar abnormalities: implications for cerebellar contributions to psychopathology

Abstract

This paper contends with the emerging pattern of cerebellar abnormalities being reported across a diverse array of clinical phenotypes in terms of what this means regarding cerebellar involvement in psychopathology. This question of the functional significance of transdiagnostic cerebellar abnormalities is explored through three different lenses. First, recent advances in cerebellar functional neuroanatomy and cerebellar cognitive neuroscience are reviewed, providing an account of recent progress made in understanding cerebellar contributions to ‘nonmotor’ functions. Next, conceptual and methodological pitfalls in trying to integrate cerebellar findings at the level of diagnostic group are discussed, as are examples of recent studies inspired by the National Institute of Mental Health’s Research Domain Criteria in their interrogation of cerebellar abnormalities transdiagnostically. Finally, arguably even thornier complexities and knowledge gaps related to more squarely mechanistic questions regarding the role of the cerebellum in psychopathology are grappled with, and recent advances in the literature relevant to these issues are also highlighted.