Where it is
Below the occipital lobes and behind the brainstem, in the posterior cranial fossa.
What it does
Coordinates voluntary movements, maintains balance and posture, and fine-tunes motor learning. It does not start movement but makes it smooth and accurate.
Clinical relevance
- Cerebellar damage causes ataxia (unsteady gait), intention tremor and dysmetria (missing the target in the finger-to-nose test).
- Alcohol intoxication temporarily affects cerebellar function.
Nursing focus
- Assess coordination with finger-to-nose, heel-to-shin and the Romberg test.
- Clients with ataxia need fall precautions and assistance with walking.