What is Cerebellum?
The word cerebellum comes from the Latin word meaning “Little Brain.” It is pinkish-gray in color and has a semi-circle shape. The cerebellum is located inside the head, almost at the same level as the ears. It sits right above where the spine meets the brain.
The average cerebellum of an adult has a width of around 4.5cm. It also has an average weight of 150 grams.
Initially, scientists believed that the cerebellum was responsible for muscle coordination. With time, they discovered that it played a far more significant role than that. The cerebellum controls coordination, distance estimation, and timing.
The cerebellum is also a very compact organ, and when laid flat, it can go beyond a length of 1 meter.
The cerebellum contains 50% of all the neurons in the body. Neurons are special cells that make up the nervous system. Neurons are also found in the spinal cord, nerves, and parts of the brain.
When the cerebellum is injured, a person will mainly experience difficulty with precision, coordination, and balance. In rare cases, some children can be born without a cerebellum. The severity of these cases can vary from person to person.
What is Cerebrum?
The cerebrum is the most significant part of the brain. It is located at the front and top part of the brain. It constitutes about 80% of the brain’s total volume and an average volume of 1kg in adults.
The cerebrum is divided into the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere. These two hemispheres cross-reference from each other, i.e., the left hemisphere receives signals from the right hemisphere and vice versa.
The cerebrum is also divided into the outer layer (cerebral cortex) and the inner layer. The outer layer has ridges that look like wrinkles. These ridges help increase the surface area of the cerebrum.
The cerebrum is divided into five lobes. The frontal lobe, located at the front of the head, is responsible for some muscle movement, speech attention, and determining the appropriateness of behavior.
The parietal lobe handles pain, touch, and temperature. It also plays a vital role in distance estimation and sound processing.
The temporal lobe helps in the connection of emotion to memory and in the recognition of spoken languages, people, and objects. The insular lobe handles taste senses, and the occipital lobe controls the ability to see color and movement.
Difference Between Cerebellum and Cerebrum
- The cerebellum is located at the back part of the brain, while the cerebrum is in the front part.
- The cerebellum is the second most significant part of the brain, while the cerebrum is the most significant part of the brain.
- The cerebellum takes up 11% of the total brain mass, while the cerebrum takes up 83%.
- The cerebellum has 3 cortical layers, while the cerebrum has 6 cortical layers.
- The cerebellum does not form lobes, but the cerebrum forms five lobes.
Comparison Between Cerebellum and Cerebrum
| Parameters of Comparison | Cerebellum | Cerebrum |
| Location | Located at the back of the head | Located at the front of the head |
| Size | The second most significant part of the brain | The most significant part of the brain |
| Mass | It takes up to 11% of the total brain mass | It takes up to 83% of the total brain mass |
| Cortical layers | It has 3 cortical layers | It has 6 cortical layers |
| Lobes | Does not form lobes | Forms 5 lobes |