The cerebellum and postural sensorimotor learning in mice and rats.

Animals with cerebellar damage caused by gene mutations, surgical ablations and irradiation by X-rays during developmental stages are impaired in maintaining posture and equilibrium. For most tests, even in animals with total cerebellectomy, postural sensorimotor learning is not abolished. Simpler compensatory movements may be adopted. The acquisition of simple sensorimotor skills occurring after massive damage of the cerebellar cortex may be explained by the modulatory role of the cerebellar deep nuclei during learning processes or by the influence of extracerebellar regions taking over lost cerebellar function.