Scientists Identify Language Network in Brain's Cerebellum

MIT researchers find dedicated language-processing regions in the cerebellum, extending the brain's language network.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Researchers at MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research have identified a network of regions within the cerebellum that are dedicated to language processing, expanding the known language network in the brain. The team, led by Evelina Fedorenko, found four cerebellar areas that consistently become engaged during language tasks, with one region in particular exhibiting activity patterns very similar to language-processing regions in the brain's neocortex.

Why it matters

The discovery of a "cerebellar satellite" of the language network challenges the traditional view of the cerebellum as primarily involved in coordinating movement, and suggests it may play an important role in complex cognitive functions like language. This finding could have implications for understanding and treating language impairments caused by brain injuries or diseases.

The details

Using functional brain imaging, the researchers monitored brain activity in over 800 people as they engaged in various language and non-language tasks. While the neocortex has well-defined language-processing regions, the dense packing of neurons in the cerebellum made it harder to pinpoint specific language areas. Ultimately, the team identified four cerebellar regions that consistently became active during language use, with one region in the right posterior cerebellum exhibiting activity patterns very similar to the language network in the neocortex.

  • The research findings were reported in the journal Neuron on January 21, 2026.

The players

Evelina Fedorenko

A neuroscientist at MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, who led the research team that identified the language network in the cerebellum.

Colton Casto

A graduate student at Harvard and MIT who works in Fedorenko's lab and was the lead author on the study.

MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research

A research institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that focuses on understanding the neural basis of human cognition, behavior, and disease.

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What they’re saying

“It's like there's this region in the cerebellum that we've been forgetting about for a long time. If you're a language researcher, you should be paying attention to the cerebellum.”

— Colton Casto, Graduate student (Neuron)

“We've found that language is distinct from many, many other things - but at some point, complex cognition requires everything to work together. How do these different kinds of information get connected? Maybe parts of the cerebellum serve that function.”

— Evelina Fedorenko (Neuron)

What’s next

The researchers plan to further explore the function of the "cerebellar satellite" region of the language network, investigating whether it may participate in different types of tasks beyond just language processing. They are also considering the possibility that the cerebellum may play an outsized role in language learning, particularly when people acquire new languages later in life.

The takeaway

The discovery of a dedicated language network within the cerebellum challenges the traditional view of this brain region as primarily involved in coordinating movement, and suggests it may play an important role in complex cognitive functions like language. This finding could have significant implications for understanding and treating language impairments caused by brain injuries or diseases.