Dynamic interaction between the cerebrum and the cerebellum during visual word processing

Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between the cerebellum and reading. Yet, the specific contribution of the cerebellum to reading and its interaction with the cerebrum remain elusive. To address these issues, we combined dynamic brain state analysis with large-scale network analysis to examine the imaging data gathered from the reading tasks (i.e., orthographic, phonological, and semantic tasks) and the resting period. Our analysis revealed three dynamic brain states. The first state (DFS1) exhibited a higher ratio and a longer duration in all tasks, indicating its involvement in general task-related processes. The second state (DFS2) was predominantly active during the resting stage, representing a resting-related state. The third state (DFS3) displayed a higher ratio in the reading tasks compared to the non-reading tasks, indicating its association with reading-dependent processes. In all states, hubs were predominantly distributed in the cerebrum. For DFS2, one hub was also observed in the cerebellum. Furthermore, DFS2 showed significant modularity between the cerebrum and the cerebellum. This study sheds light on the dynamic collaboration between the cerebrum and the cerebellum across different imaging modalities, offering a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of their interaction during reading and non-reading periods.