J Korean Med Sci.  2006 Apr;21(2):342-346. 10.3346/jkms.2006.21.2.342.

Evaluation of Morphological Plasticity in the Cerebella of Basketball Players with MRI

• Park IS
• Han JW
• Lee KJ
• Lee NJ
• Lee WT
• Park KA
• Rhyu IJ

• KMID: 1781847
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2006.21.2.342

Abstract

Cerebellum is a key structure involved in motor learning and coordination. In animal models, motor skill learning increased the volume of molecular layer and the number of synapses on Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the analogous change of cerebellar volume occurs in human population who learn specialized motor skills and practice them intensively for a long time. Magnetic resonance image (MRI)-based cerebellar volumetry was performed in basketball players and matched controls with V-works image software. Total brain volume, absolute and relative cerebellar volumes were compared between two groups. There was no significant group difference in the total brain volume, the absolute and the relative cerebellar volume. Thus we could not detect structural change in the cerebellum of this athlete group in the macroscopic level.

Keyword

Basketball; Cerebellum; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Motor Skills; Neuronal Plasticity

MeSH Terms

Neuronal Plasticity
Motor Skills/physiology
Models, Anatomic
Male
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Humans
Cerebellum/*anatomy & histology/physiology
Basketball/*physiology
Animals
Adult

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Landmark-based separation of the cerebellar peduncles from the cerebellar white matter and the brainstem. On the mid-sagittal slice (slice 46/90 in this subject), perpendicular lines are drawn at a 90 degree angle to the bi-commissural line at the AC and PC (arrows) and through the posterior border of the inferior colliculus (arrowhead). These lines are superimposed on all sagittal slices and the latter perpendicular line is used to differentiate the cerebellar peduncles from the brainstem. (slice numbers are placed on top left corner of each slice).

• 

  Fig. 2 3-D model of the total brain (A) and the absolute cerebellum (B) using 3-D medical software package for tBV, aCV, rCV.

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