Exploring the Hippocampal-Cerebellar Connection in Humans

Kavishini Apasamy, 1st year PhD, Royal Holloway, University of London

BACKGROUND:

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My research crosses an intersection between cognitive psychology and neuropsychology. My research aims to understand the dynamic interaction between two important brain regions: the hippocampus and the cerebellum. These two brain regions have been studied extensively in terms of their individual contribution to cognition. However, the collaborative efforts to support higher-order behaviour, such as spatial navigation, remains unknown. Further, of the limited knowledge that exists, it is primarily shaped by rodent studies with a sparse contribution from non-human primates, meaning that knowledge of this network in the human brain remains elusive. My PhD aims to study this using three related projects. My first and second projects delve into the functional connection between the hippocampus and the cerebellum, specifically their cooperative efforts in the realm of spatial navigation. My last project aims to map the neural pathway that may facilitate the coordination and communication of these two brain structures.

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METHODOLOGY:

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My research crosses an intersection between cognitive psychology and neuropsychology. My research aims to understand the dynamic interaction between two important brain regions: the hippocampus and the cerebellum. These two brain regions have been studied extensively in terms of their individual contribution to cognition. However, the collaborative efforts to support higher-order behaviour, such as spatial navigation, remains unknown. Further, of the limited knowledge that exists, it is primarily shaped by rodent studies with a sparse contribution from non-human primates, meaning that knowledge of this network in the human brain remains elusive. My PhD aims to study this using three related projects. My first and second projects delve into the functional connection between the hippocampus and the cerebellum, specifically their cooperative efforts in the realm of spatial navigation. My last project aims to map the neural pathway that may facilitate the coordination and communication of these two brain structures.

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RESULTS:

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I am currently concluding my data analysis where we have found that a specific functional connection exists between the hippocampus and the cerebellum at rest. I am eager to share the finer details and the full scope of the results in due course, however, these preliminary findings intriguing questions about how these brain regions communicate and collaborate.

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FUTURE WORK:

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Looking ahead, we hope to build on these preliminary findings to enhance our understanding of this connection. Our initial theoretical insights, combined with prior research, hint at a role in supporting spatial navigation. As a result, we plan to employ imaging techniques to study the potential role of the hippocampal-cerebellar connection in spatial navigation. The understanding of this connection could reshape our understanding of disorders such as Alzheimer’s, paving the way for more target interventions.

FUNDED BY:

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CONTACT: 

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