The human cerebellum is essential for modulating perceptual sensitivity based on temporal expectations

Abstract

A functional benefit of attention is to proactively enhance perceptual sensitivity in space and time. Although attentional orienting has traditionally been associated with cortico-thalamic networks, recent evidence has indicated that individuals with cerebellar degeneration (CD) show reduced reaction time benefit from temporal cues that entail an interval-based representation. While this deficit might merely reflect impairment in anticipatory motor preparation, it is also possible that the cerebellum contributes to the temporal modulation of perceptual sensitivity. To examine this, we tested CD participants on a non-speeded challenging perceptual discrimination task, asking if they benefit from temporal cues. Strikingly, the CD group showed no duration-specific perceptual sensitivity benefit when temporal orienting relied on isolated interval representation, while showing a comparable benefit to controls when the cues were defined by rhythmic sequences. This dissociation further specifies the functional domain of the cerebellum, establishing its role in the attentional adjustment of perceptual sensitivity in time.

A Unitary Mechanism Underlies Adaptation to Both Local and Global Environmental Statistics in Time Perception

“…However, this temporal expectation system might be a rigid system that recalibrates to the environment with an invariant learning rate. This characterization conforms with a conceptualization of the operation of the cerebellum in sensorimotor adaptation, and the same principles might apply to duration representation, another function associated with the cerebellum ( 35 , 36 ). The data set in the current experiments are insufficient to examine the dynamics of updating, and we see this as an important issue to be addressed in future studies.…”

In silico gene expression and pathway analysis of DEK in the human brain across the lifespan

“…For example, sensory perception is associated with DEK in the cerebellum during adulthood, but not in the hippocampus. There is increasing evidence to suggest that the cerebellum plays a role in perceptual processes, such as nociception, visual and auditory processing, and attentional adjustment of perceptual discrimination (Baumann et al, 2015; Breska & Ivry, 2021; Rondi‐Reig et al, 2014). It is even proposed that the white matter integrity of the cerebellum can affect sensory processing (Narayan et al, 2021).…”

Keeping time and rhythm by replaying a sensory-motor engram

“…Areas comprising the motor system consistently activate with ramping or cycling patterns of neuronal activity [12][13][14][15][16][17][18] , and these dynamics predict the time of past or upcoming events and actions [19][20][21][22] . Sub-cortical areas, like the hippocampus [23][24][25][26][27][28] , basal ganglia [29][30][31][32][33] , or the cerebellum [34][35][36][37] , have neurons that increase their activity at preferred time points and preferred interval durations, measured in either absolute (elapsed time) or relative time units (e.g. half the total elapsed time).…”