The cerebellum and divergent thinking are surprisingly, disturbing and decisively linked, until recently we assumed that the only functions performed by this organ were related to memory and motor coordination, however, we now know that it is decisive in most superior cognitive processes.
It is interesting to note that one of the first people fascinated by the cerebellum was Leonardo da Vinci, it was around 1504 when, during one of his furtive nights of searching for corpses to understand human physiology, he discovered this area located in the posterior moat. skull. He just called it a “little brain. “
- Subsequently.
- Between the 17th and 19th centuries.
- Its role was discovered in dimensions such as balance.
- Posture.
- Motor learning and fine motor skills (such as the ability to write).
- Since then.
- This small brain has been underestimated and misunderstood.
- Although many neurologists have already realized its relevance.
It’s time to give him the relevance he deserves and understand how he helps us in our day-to-day life.
This data should attract our attention: the cerebellum represents just over 10% of the total volume of the brain, however, it houses almost 80% of all brain neurons, something like this already gives us an indisputable hint that its importance can be much greater than we originally thought. Therefore, it makes sense to infer that you can take care of more than motor tasks.
We know, for example, that through this body, we drive or bike without having to, how to do it. That is, the cerebellum facilitates and integrates motor memory and automates most of the movements we make daily, however, it is over the last decade that scientists have begun to take more interest in this field to discover various aspects of it. . They’re next.
A study published in the Creativity Research Journal by Dr. Jalil Pasl in 2007 highlighted the relevance of the cerebellum in functions such as working memory and creativity. Recently, Christopher J. Steele of the Max Planck Institute for Cognition and Neuroscience in Leipzig revealed something even more decisive.
The cerebellum has very dense connectivity to several areas of the brain. This region is so compact and highly interconnected that it is present in many of the superior cognitive processes.
Allan Reiss, professor of radiology, psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, notes:
“Our findings represent a breakthrough in our understanding of the physiology of cerebellar creativity. We found that activating executive control centers in this region allows us to creatively plan, organize, and manage tasks. Divergent reflections are also linked to this area, so, thanks to it, can we energize art, science and business?.
Remember that fluid intelligence refers to the ability to perform mental operations and solve problems in an original way, without any prior knowledge, that is, it defines the ability to face challenges without having studied before.
The cerebellum and divergent thinking are linked to this type of intelligence, it is also a reminder that this type of skill is the one that allows better synchronization and connectivity of the brain hemispheres, now we know that the cerebellum is also involved in this process.
We already know the great relevance of this organ that caught Leonardo da Vinci’s attention, we are clear that the cerebellum and divergent thinking are significantly related, now, is there a problem?Or, in fact, several.
These two dimensions are serious enough to make us think, today we are increasingly confident in the use of technology, to the point of letting ourselves be thought for us, we are hardly doing mental calculations. You can’t navigate a city without using GPS.
In addition, handwriting is endangered. Why use pen and paper when you have a word processor?We don’t realize it, we don’t have a conscience, but it all has a serious impact on our brains.
Allowing our devices to replace many of the tasks we have performed mentally or manually results in cerebellum atrophy, slow and premature aging of an essential region for humans, and our progress. It’s important to think about that.