The Hand Representation in the Human Cerebellum Overlaps with the Digit Representations

Wietske van der Zwaag¹, ², Roberto Martuzzi³, Remy Kusters¹, Olaf Blanke³, Rolf Gruetter¹, ², Jos P. Marques¹, ²

Using high-resolution 7 tesla fMRI, the somatotopic representations of all five digits and the hand and forearm were mapped in the cerebellum of individual subjects. The representations of the digits followed an orderly pattern in lobule 5, with the thumb most posterior and medial and the little finger most lateral and anterior. In lobule 8, an orderly pattern was also found, but this was not consistent across subjects. The hand region fully overlapped with the digits regions in a manner similar to what has been suggested for the primary motor cortex.