Despite its name, the cerebellum has a great function for the body. This organ located at the back of the head functions to regulate cooperation between muscles, control balance, and maintain body posture.
The cerebellum is also known as cerebellum. This brain is located at the back of the head, just below the occipital lobe of the cerebrum and near the brainstem. Disorders of this organ can affect not only your ability to move, but also the ability to speak.
Various Functions of the Small Brain
The size of the cerebellum is only 10% of the entire brain. Even so, the cerebellum contains more than 50% of the nerve cells in the brain. The cerebellum has many functions related to body movement. More precisely, it is this organ that perfects signals from the cerebrum to the muscles and makes body movements more accurate.
The following are some of the functions of the cerebellum that you need to know:
Maintain balance and posture
The cerebellum receives information from the body about the position and whereabouts of each limb. Through this information, the cerebellum processes and perfects the movement commands from the cerebrum so that the body becomes balanced.
For example, walking on a sloping road certainly requires different muscle strength than on a flat road. In situations like this, the feet send a signal that "reports" that we are walking on a sloping road.
The cerebellum then processes these signals and regulates the muscles in such a way that we do not fall while walking.
Regulate coordination and body movement
Almost every body movement requires the coordination of several muscle groups. The brain is what regulates the strength of several different muscles at one time so as to produce a smooth movement.
One example of the function of the cerebellum can be seen from people who are drunk. Alcohol has a direct effect on cerebellum. This is what causes heavily drunk people sometimes can't control their movements.
Regulate the learning process of movement and cognitive function
Cerebellum play an important role in the motor learning process. The brain records the repeated movements and refines them on each trial until the body gets used to the movements. We can see this function of the cerebellum in someone who is learning to ride a bicycle.
In addition, the cerebellum is also involved in a person's language skills.
Beware of Triggers of Small Brain Disorders
Disorders of the cerebellum can cause ataxia, which is a condition when a person loses the ability to maintain balance, coordinate limbs, and speak. This damage can arise as a result of:
- Serious head injury, for example from a fall or traffic accident.
- Bacterial infections of the brain, such as encephalitis and meningitis.
- Viral infections, such as measles or chickenpox, that attack the brain (rare).
- Impaired blood supply to the brain due to blocked blood vessels (ischemic stroke) or rupture (hemorrhagic stroke).
- Other conditions, such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, hypothyroidism, brain tumor, Chiari malformation, or certain cancers.
- genetics.
Some other symptoms that may occur when the function of the cerebellum is impaired are decreased muscle control, difficulty walking, difficulty speaking and swallowing, and uncontrolled eye movements (nystagmus).
Tips for Maintaining Small Brain Function
As a vital and most complex organ of the body, the brain must always be protected and kept healthy. The following are a number of tips that you can do to maintain a healthy brain and sharpen its abilities:
- Protect your head with a helmet when riding a bicycle or motorcycle, when doing sports that are prone to collisions, or when you are in a work area with a high risk of being hit by something.
- Do exercise regularly.
- Eat a variety of healthy foods, especially foods high in calcium and potassium which are good for the nervous system.
- Doing activities that challenge brain work, such as dancing, playing a musical instrument, and doing crossword puzzles.
- Stop smoking or consuming alcoholic beverages.
The function of the cerebellum is often not realized. However, once this function is disturbed, the effect will be so great on the body. Therefore, it is important for you to maintain the function of the cerebellum as well as the overall health of the brain.
If you experience complaints such as loss of balance, difficulty walking, or frequent falls, immediately consult your condition with a doctor so that the cause of the complaint can be immediately identified and treated.