Wietske van der Zwaag awarded NWO Vici grant for cerebellum research

Dr. Wietske van der Zwaag has been awarded a prestigious NWO Vici grant of €1.5 million for an innovative research project on the functional organization of the human cerebellum, also known as the “little brain.” Using advanced imaging techniques, she aims to map this finely structured brain region in unprecedented detail.

Disease affecting the cerebellum can have major consequences for daily functioning. In conditions such as multiple sclerosis or spinocerebellar ataxia, damage to the cerebellum leads not only to movement problems but also to cognitive impairments. Despite this, our understanding of this brain region remains limited. The reason: the cerebellum has an extremely fine and complex structure that is difficult to visualize accurately with standard MRI techniques.

“The cerebellar cortex (the outer layer) is a thin sheet of gray matter less than a millimeter thick and highly folded. Its delicate structure and small size make it very difficult to image clearly,” explains van der Zwaag. “With current imaging methods, we miss many details. As a result, we still do not sufficiently understand how structure and function are precisely related in this brain region.”

Small but Complex

Although the cerebellum accounts for only about ten percent of total brain volume, it contains more than three times as many cells as the cerebrum. Its tightly folded cortex and small functional subregions make it particularly challenging to obtain reliable measurements.

This project will therefore employ advanced MRI methods, including ultra-high-field imaging and improved analysis techniques. This approach makes it possible to measure brain activity and microstructure with much higher spatial precision than before.

“If we can measure the cerebellum more accurately, we can better understand how it contributes to behavior, learning, and cognition,” says van der Zwaag. “This opens the door to new insights into both healthy brain function and neurological and psychiatric disorders involving the cerebellum.”