The Cerebellum
10% of brain volume. 80% of brain neurons. Coordinates everything.
If you only do one thing from this page:
Stand on one leg for 10 seconds
If you can't: your cerebellum is underperforming. A 2022 study of 1,702 adults found this predicts 84% higher mortality risk. Balance isn't about not falling — it's a window into cerebellar function.
Too foggy to read this page? Start here:
- • Your cerebellum has 4× more neurons than your cortex — in 1/8th the space.
- • It coordinates not just movement but thinking, memory, emotions, and autonomic function.
- • When it fails, everything downstream fails — but MRI shows nothing.
By the Numbers
69B
Neurons in cerebellum
16B
Neurons in cortex
4×
More neurons, 1/8 the space
84%
Higher mortality if can't balance
Azevedo & Herculano-Houzel, J Comp Neurol, 2009; Araujo CG et al., Br J Sports Med, 2022
What the Cerebellum Coordinates
Your cerebellum was thought to be "just for movement." That's like saying your phone is "just for calls." It coordinates everything:
Thinking
Executive function timing
Memory
Consolidation and recall
Emotions
Regulation and processing
Balance
Spatial awareness and coordination
Autonomic
Heart rate, blood pressure, temperature
Blood Flow
Cerebral perfusion to the brain
"Think of your cerebellum as the conductor of an orchestra. The cortex is the violin section — skilled, important. But without the conductor, even perfect violins produce chaos. When the cerebellum disconnects, every brain function becomes slightly worse."
This is why "brain fog" isn't one symptom — it's the cumulative effect of everything running at 85% efficiency. Memory, attention, emotional regulation, balance, autonomic function — all slightly off.
How the Cerebellum Fails
Even mild head trauma disrupts cerebellar connections. The structure looks fine on MRI — but the wiring is loose.
TPO antibodies attack cerebellar tissue. Your immune system literally degrades the cerebellum.
Oestrogen decline impairs mitochondrial function in cerebellar neurons. Energy production drops.
Systemic inflammation crosses the blood-brain barrier and disrupts cerebellar signalling.
Aging
Cerebellar volume decreases ~2% per decade after age 40. The shrinkage accelerates dysfunction.
SARS-CoV-2 attacks mitochondria. The cerebellum's high metabolic demand makes it vulnerable.
The Balance-Mortality Connection
Why Balance Predicts Death
A 2022 Brazilian study followed 1,702 adults aged 51-75. Those who couldn't stand on one leg for 10 seconds had 84% higher mortality risk over the next decade.
Not because falling kills you. Because balance requires cerebellar function — and cerebellar dysfunction cascades through every system. Heart rate variability drops. Autonomic regulation fails. Inflammation increases. Cognition declines.
The one-leg test isn't testing your balance. It's testing your cerebellum. And your cerebellum predicts your future.
Araujo CG et al., Br J Sports Med, 2022 — 10-second one-leg stance and mortality (n=1,702, HR 1.84)
One-Leg Balance Failure Rate by Age
5%
Age 51-55
8%
Age 56-60
18%
Age 61-65
37%
Age 66-70
54%
Age 71-75
If you're younger and can't pass: your biological age exceeds your chronological age. The cerebellum is telling you something.
Rebuilding the Cerebellum
Step 1: Test
Complete the 6-test brain self-assessment to identify which cerebellar side is affected and create your brain map.
Step 2: Exercise
Start figure-of-eight exercises on your affected side. 10 reps × 3 sets. Measurable changes in 5 days.
Step 3: Fuel
If exercises cause symptoms, address brain fuel first — MCT oil and photobiomodulation before demanding energy.
Step 4: Verify
Retest your RAM score immediately after each session. Improvement = it's working. No change = adjust dose or fuel.
START HERE
Brain Self-Tests →
6 tests to map your cerebellar function — left vs. right, higher vs. lower.
THEN
Brain Exercises →
Figure-of-eight and VOR training matched to your brain map.
This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional.