"In the back of our skulls, perched upon the brain stem under the overarching mantle of the great hemispheres of the cerebrum, is a baseball-sized, bean-shaped lump of gray and white brain tissue. This is the cerebellum, the 'lesser brain.'"

So began, somewhat modestly, the article that in 1958 introduced the cerebellum to the readers of Scientific American. Written by Ray S. Snider of Northwestern University, the introduction continued, "In contrast to the cerebrum, where men have sought and found the centers of so many vital mental activities, the cerebellum remains a region of subtle and tantalizing mystery, its function hidden from investigators." But by the time the second Scientific American article on the cerebellum appeared 17 years later, author Rodolfo R. Llin¿s (currently at New York University Medical Center) confidently stated, "There is no longer any doubt that the cerebellum is a central control point for the organization of movement."

   
Already a Digital subscriber? Sign-in Now
If your institution has site license access, enter here.