The effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the cerebellum on cognitive control

Background Research on brain interventions utilizing transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technology has advanced significantly, however, studies focusing on the transcranial magnetic stimulation of the cerebellum remain in their preliminary phase. Research in neuroscience has established the cerebellum as a critical component in cognitive control, decision-making, and response regulation.; Methods The present study focused on the Curs II subregion of the cerebellum and involved 125 participants, who were categorized into five distinct groups. Each group received repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at frequencies of 1 Hz, 5 Hz, 10 Hz, 20 Hz, as well as a sham stimulation. Participants were evaluated through a go/no-go task both prior to and following the stimulation, while their electroencephalogram (EEG) were concurrently recorded for subsequent analysis.; Results The results indicate that cerebellar transcranial magnetic stimulation has a significant impact on cognitive task performance throughout the brain. High-frequency stimulation at 5 Hz, 10 Hz, and 20 Hz appears to activate neurons in brain regions linked to cognitive functions, leading to an increase in event-related potential (ERP) peaks and enhancements in the global efficiency and clustering coefficient of the overall brain network. Among the high-frequency conditions, stimulation at 10 Hz produced the most pronounced improvement in cognitive task performance and significantly enhanced the global efficiency of brain networks In contrast, low-frequency stimulation at 1 Hz was found to suppress cognitive task performance..; Conclusions TMS of the cerebellum can either enhance or inhibit cognitive control functions, suggesting that the cerebellum plays a significant role in the participation and regulation of cognitive control.