Cerebellar infarction affects visual search

Recent studies have discussed the role of the cerebellum in not only motor but also cognitive functions, and in particular, fronto-executive operations. Similar to a previous study on hemineglect patients, we recorded eye movements during a visual search task to investigate patients with isolated infarction of the cerebellum compared with controls. Patients showed longer search durations, associated with mild saccadic dysmetria, longer single fixation durations and a higher number of repeated fixations of items. Systematic search strategies were preserved, but less frequent in patients. In conclusion, though basic mechanisms of visual search including spatial memory were not affected by cerebellar lesions, patients' search behaviour was slower and less efficient, indicating a mild deficit of visual attention and motor planning.