Task switching after cerebellar damage.
The authors of this study investigated task switching following cerebellar damage. The study group consisted of 7 children and adolescents (M age=13.8 years) who underwent surgical removal of a benign posterior fossa tumor. They were tested at a sufficient interval after surgery (M lag=6.13 years) for restoration of normal cognitive skills and intelligence. Although all showed normal learning of the task compared with control participants, when rapid behavioral changes were required (short preparation time), they exhibited behavioral rigidity manifested by enhanced switching cost. These results are in line with another study on serial reaction time with the same patients (A. Berger et al., in press). They have important implications for our understanding of the cognitive sequelae of early cerebellar damage as well as the involvement of the cerebellum in task switching.
Berger
Andrea
A
Department of Behavioral Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
Sadeh
Michelle
M
Child Development and Rehabilitation Department, Schneider Children's Medical Center.
Tzur
Gabriel
G
Department of Behavioral Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
Shuper
Avinoam
A
Hematology and Oncology Department, Schneider Children's Medical Center.
Kornreich
Liora
L
Imaging Department, Schneider Children's Medical Center.
Inbar
Dov
D
Child Development and Rehabilitation Department, Schneider Children's Medical Center.
Cohen
Ian J
IJ
Hematology and Oncology Department, Schneider Children's Medical Center.
Michowiz
Shalom
S
Pediatric Neurosurgery Department, Schneider Children's Medical Center.
Yaniv
Isaac
I
Hematology and Oncology Department, Schneider Children's Medical Center.
Constantini
Shlomi
S
Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Dana Children's Hospital, Tel Aviv Medical Center.
Kessler
Yoav
Y
Department of Behavioral Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
Merian
Nachshon
N
Department of Behavioral Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015192:Infratentorial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology