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 language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 362-370 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Neuropsychology |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 May 2005 |
Keywords
- Cerebellum
- Executive control
- Posterior fossa tumor
- Task switching
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology