Task switching after cerebellar damage

Andrea Berger, Gabriel Tzur, Shlomi Constantini, Michelle Sadeh, Avinoam Shuper, Liora Kornreich, Dov Inbar, Ian J. Cohen, Shalom Michowiz, Isaac Yaniv, Yoav Kessler, Nachshon Meiran

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

The authors of this study investigated task switching following cerebellar damage. The study group consisted of 7 children and adolescents (M age = 13.8 years) who underwent surgical removal of a benign posterior fossa tumor. They were tested at a sufficient interval after surgery (M lag = 6.13 years) for restoration of normal cognitive skills and intelligence. Although all showed normal learning of the task compared with control participants, when rapid behavioral changes were required (short preparation time), they exhibited behavioral rigidity manifested by enhanced switching cost. These results are in line with another study on serial reaction time with the same patients (A. Berger et al., in press). They have important implications for our understanding of the cognitive sequelae of early cerebellar damage as well as the involvement of the cerebellum in task switching.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)362-370
Number of pages9
JournalNeuropsychology
Volume19
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 May 2005

Keywords

  • Cerebellum
  • Executive control
  • Posterior fossa tumor
  • Task switching

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology

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