A number of functions have been attributed to the cerebellum, and there is growing evidence for its role in certain aspects of learning and memory (Buckner et al 1996). Schneider and colleagues (2001) proposed that cue-induced craving, in this case alcohol-induced craving, may involve conditioned emotional reactions that are mediated by the amygdala, as well as learned memory associations that are mediated by the cerebellum. Alternatively, stimulation may have activated cerebellar functions involved in motor or multisensory coordination. In their study, the authors demonstrated that the amygdalar and cerebellar activations observed before therapy in abstinent alcoholic patients may represent aspects of emotion, motivation, and memory in cue-induced craving (Schneider et al 2001).
