Verbal short-term memory and cerebellum: evidence from a patient with congenital cerebellar vermis hypoplasia.
The impairment of phonological short-term memory has been reported in adults with cerebellar lesions. At the same time, a role of the cerebellum in speech production has been hypothesized. Cerebellar malformations have been related to developmental problems and language acquisition in children. We describe a 5-year-old male child with cerebellar vermis hypoplasia who presented a severe linguistic deficit. On language testing, verbal production was almost absent, while comprehension was partially spared. Digit span was markedly reduced. An extensive examination of phonological short-term memory confirmed a deficit at this level. Positron Emission Tomography revealed hypometabolism both in the cerebellum and the supratentorial areas involved in language function. This finding supports the hypothesis that the cerebellum is included in a cerebro-cerebellar network, that underlies the phonological short-term memory, whose integrity is necessary for language acquisition.
Misciagna
Sandro
S
Unit of Neurological Rehabilitation, Fondazione Don Gnocchi, Centro Santa Maria della Pace, Rome, Italy. sandromisciagna@yahoo.it
Iuvone
Laura
L
Mariotti
Paolo
P
Silveri
Maria Caterina
MC
D001039:Aphasia, Broca / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009421:Nervous System Malformations / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography