Restoration of damaged central nervous system structures, functional recovery, and prevention of neuronal loss during neurodegenerative diseases are major objectives in cerebellar research. The highly organized anatomical structure of the cerebellum with numerous inputs/outputs, the complexity of cerebellar functions, and the large spectrum of cerebellar ataxias render therapies of cerebellar disorders highly challenging. There are currently several therapeutic approaches including motor rehabilitation, neuroprotective drugs, non-invasive cerebellar stimulation, molecularly based therapy targeting pathogenesis of the disease, and neurotransplantation. We discuss the goals and possible beneficial mechanisms of transplantation therapy for cerebellar damage and its limitations and factors determining outcome.

Department of Neurology CHU Charleroi 6000 Charleroi Belgium

Department of Neurophysiology and Neural Repair Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine 3 39 22 Maebashi Gunma 371 8511 Japan

Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini University of Turin 10126 Turin Italy

Department of Pathophysiology Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen Charles University alej Svobody 1655 76 323 00 Plzen Czech Republic

IBPS UMR8256 Biological Adaptation and Ageing Sorbonne Université and CNRS Paris France

Istituto di Genetica Molecolare CNR 27100 Pavia Italy

Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders Biomedical Center Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen Charles University alej Svobody 1655 76 323 00 Plzen Czech Republic

Medical Education Promotion Center Tokyo Medical University Tokyo Japan

Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi Orbassano 10043 Turin Italy

Neurosurgery Dipartimento di Scienze Clinico Chirurgiche Diagnostiche e Pediatriche Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S Matteo Università degli Studi di Pavia 27100 Pavia Italy

Service des Neurosciences Université de Mons 7000 Mons Belgium

See more in PubMed

Exp Neurol. 1999 Aug;158(2):301-11 PubMed

N Engl J Med. 1999 Sep 2;341(10):738-46 PubMed

J Neurosci. 2000 Nov 15;20(22):RC107 PubMed

Ann Neurol. 2000 Nov;48(5):689-95 PubMed

N Engl J Med. 2001 Mar 8;344(10):710-9 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Feb 19;99(4):2344-9 PubMed

J Neurosci. 2002 Feb 15;22(4):1316-27 PubMed

Development. 2002 Mar;129(6):1435-42 PubMed

Nat Rev Neurosci. 2002 May;3(5):401-9 PubMed

J Neurosci. 2002 Aug 15;22(16):7132-46 PubMed

Ann Neurol. 2002 Nov;52(5):628-34 PubMed

Cerebellum. 2002 Dec;1(4):265-75 PubMed

Ann Neurol. 2003 Sep;54(3):403-14 PubMed

Neuroreport. 2003 Sep 15;14(13):1713-6 PubMed

Nat Cell Biol. 2003 Nov;5(11):959-66 PubMed

Gene Expr Patterns. 2004 May;4(3):257-61 PubMed

J Cell Biol. 2004 Nov 22;167(4):723-34 PubMed

Prog Histochem Cytochem. 2004;39(3):131-82 PubMed

Stem Cells. 2005 Apr;23(4):471-6 PubMed

Neurosci Lett. 2005 Jun 24;381(3):234-6 PubMed

Stem Cells. 2006 Mar;24(3):763-71 PubMed

Brain. 2005 Dec;128(Pt 12):2977-86 PubMed

Dev Biol. 2006 Feb 15;290(2):287-96 PubMed

Stem Cells. 2006 Jun;24(6):1594-604 PubMed

Exp Neurol. 2006 Nov;202(1):44-56 PubMed

J Neurosci. 2006 Jul 26;26(30):7839-48 PubMed

Nat Med. 2006 Nov;12(11):1259-68 PubMed

Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 1991 Jun 21;60(2):261-6 PubMed

Cell Mol Life Sci. 2007 Mar;64(5):522-32 PubMed

Trends Neurosci. 1991 Aug;14(8):350-5 PubMed

PLoS One. 2007 Jan 24;2(1):e166 PubMed

Brain Res. 2007 Apr 6;1140:195-204 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Feb 20;104(8):2997-3002 PubMed

J Neurosci. 2007 Mar 7;27(10):2472-82 PubMed

Stem Cells. 2007 May;25(5):1307-16 PubMed

J Neurosci. 2007 May 16;27(20):5373-83 PubMed

J Neurosci. 2007 Sep 12;27(37):9885-92 PubMed

Brain Cell Biol. 2006 Feb;35(1):87-101 PubMed

Cell Tissue Res. 2008 Jan;331(1):323-36 PubMed

Brain. 2008 Apr;131(Pt 4):1099-112 PubMed

Dev Biol. 2008 May 1;317(1):147-60 PubMed

Nat Med. 2008 May;14(5):504-6 PubMed

Nat Cell Biol. 2008 May;10(5):575-83 PubMed

J Comp Neurol. 1991 Jun 22;308(4):513-35 PubMed

Mov Disord. 2008 Dec 15;23(16):2303-6 PubMed

J Neurosci. 2008 Nov 26;28(48):12713-24 PubMed

Neuroscience. 2009 Sep 1;162(3):589-600 PubMed

Blood Transfus. 2007 Jul;5(3):120-9 PubMed

Stem Cell Res. 2009 Jul;3(1):63-70 PubMed

Stem Cells. 2009 Jul;27(7):1625-34 PubMed

Dev Neurobiol. 2009 Sep 1;69(10):647-62 PubMed

J Neurosci. 2009 Jul 22;29(29):9148-62 PubMed

Hum Mol Genet. 2009 Nov 15;18(22):4282-95 PubMed

J Neurosci Res. 2010 Feb 1;88(2):234-47 PubMed

PLoS One. 2009 Aug 31;4(8):e6848 PubMed

J Neurosci. 2009 Oct 21;29(42):13126-35 PubMed

Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2009 Dec;292(12):1986-92 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Mar 16;107(11):5184-9 PubMed

Stem Cells. 2010 Apr;28(4):821-31 PubMed

Cell Tissue Res. 2010 May;340(2):357-69 PubMed

Neurobiol Dis. 2010 Nov;40(2):415-23 PubMed

Nat Neurosci. 2010 Oct;13(10):1171-80 PubMed

Mol Cell Neurosci. 2011 May;47(1):61-70 PubMed

J Biomed Sci. 2011 Aug 08;18:54 PubMed

Nature. 2011 Nov 06;480(7378):547-51 PubMed

Curr Neuropharmacol. 2011 Jun;9(2):313-7 PubMed

Exp Neurol. 2012 Feb;233(2):791-8 PubMed

Neurosci Lett. 2012 Apr 25;515(1):23-7 PubMed

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2011 Oct 28;2:61 PubMed

Hum Mol Genet. 2013 Mar 1;22(5):890-903 PubMed

Lancet Neurol. 2013 Jan;12(1):84-91 PubMed

Neuropharmacology. 2013 Jul;70:1-11 PubMed

PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e52396 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Mar 12;110(11):4374-9 PubMed

Brain. 2013 Jun;136(Pt 6):1732-45 PubMed

Mol Ther. 2013 Oct;21(10):1909-18 PubMed

Brain. 2014 Feb;137(Pt 2):503-19 PubMed

Cerebellum. 2014 Apr;13(2):248-68 PubMed

Cerebellum. 2014 Jun;13(3):323-30 PubMed

Neurosci Lett. 2014 Jan 13;558:154-8 PubMed

PLoS One. 2014 Apr 23;9(4):e95362 PubMed

Cell Stem Cell. 2014 Nov 6;15(5):653-65 PubMed

Brain. 2015 Feb;138(Pt 2):320-35 PubMed

Nat Biotechnol. 2015 Feb;33(2):204-9 PubMed

Cell Rep. 2015 Feb 3;10(4):537-50 PubMed

Cerebellum. 2015 Dec;14(6):632-41 PubMed

Neuron. 2015 Mar 4;85(5):982-97 PubMed

Sci Rep. 2015 Mar 18;5:9232 PubMed

Open Biol. 2015 Jul;5(7):150056 PubMed

Cerebellum. 2016 Feb;15(1):48-50 PubMed

Mov Disord. 2015 Oct;30(12):1701-5 PubMed

Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2015 Oct 19;370(1680):20140370 PubMed

J Neurosci Res. 2016 Mar;94(3):246-52 PubMed

Exp Neurobiol. 2015 Dec;24(4):358-65 PubMed

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2016 Jul;87(7):697-702 PubMed

Front Cell Neurosci. 2016 Feb 08;10:16 PubMed

Cerebellum Ataxias. 2016 Apr 04;3:7 PubMed

Ther Adv Neurol Disord. 2016 Sep;9(5):396-413 PubMed

Nat Commun. 2016 Sep 21;7:12938 PubMed

Nature. 2016 Nov 10;539(7628):248-253 PubMed

PLoS One. 2016 Nov 1;11(11):e0164202 PubMed

Cell Rep. 2016 Nov 1;17(6):1482-1490 PubMed

Mol Neurobiol. 2017 Nov;54(9):7276-7296 PubMed

Brain Stimul. 2017 Mar - Apr;10(2):242-250 PubMed

Ann Neurol. 2017 Jan;81(1):46-57 PubMed

Cell Rep. 2017 Jan 10;18(2):367-379 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Feb 14;114(7):E1234-E1242 PubMed

Neurobiol Dis. 2017 Jun;102:49-59 PubMed

Front Cell Neurosci. 2017 Feb 28;11:55 PubMed

Sci Rep. 2017 Jun 23;7(1):4153 PubMed

NPJ Parkinsons Dis. 2015 Sep 24;1:15017 PubMed

Nat Commun. 2017 Aug 4;8(1):195 PubMed

CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2018;17(3):172-183 PubMed

Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 18;7(1):8863 PubMed

J Neurol Neuromedicine. 2017 Jul 10;2(7):11-15 PubMed

Nature. 2017 Aug 30;548(7669):592-596 PubMed

J Cell Physiol. 2018 May;233(5):3982-3999 PubMed

Curr Neuropharmacol. 2019;17(1):14-20 PubMed

Stem Cell Reports. 2018 Jan 9;10(1):58-72 PubMed

NPJ Regen Med. 2017 Oct 23;2:29 PubMed

Development. 2018 Jan 8;145(1): PubMed

Cerebellum. 2018 Aug;17(4):419-427 PubMed

Mol Psychiatry. 2018 Nov;23(11):2167-2183 PubMed

Cerebellum. 2018 Aug;17(4):428-437 PubMed

Handb Clin Neurol. 2018;155:379-391 PubMed

Neurosci Lett. 1987 Aug 31;79(3):246-50 PubMed

Acta Neurochir Suppl (Wien). 1988;43:154-8 PubMed

Neurosci Res. 1988 Dec;6(2):162-6 PubMed

Neuroscience. 1988 Mar;24(3):777-89 PubMed

Nature. 1987 Jun 4-10;327(6121):421-3 PubMed

Anat Embryol (Berl). 1987;176(2):145-54 PubMed

Anat Embryol (Berl). 1983;168(1):73-86 PubMed

Brain Res. 1982 Aug 5;245(1):131-5 PubMed

J Neurosci Res. 1994 Oct 1;39(2):117-26 PubMed

N Engl J Med. 1995 Apr 27;332(17):1118-24 PubMed

J Neurosci. 1994 Jan;14(1):124-33 PubMed

Exp Neurol. 1993 Jul;122(1):165-70 PubMed

Neuroscience. 1993 Jul;55(1):1-21 PubMed

Neurosci Lett. 1993 May 28;155(1):19-23 PubMed

Neuroreport. 1995 Oct 2;6(14):1827-32 PubMed

Nat Med. 1996 Jan;2(1):65-71 PubMed

Cell Transplant. 1996 Mar-Apr;5(2):269-77 PubMed

J Comp Neurol. 1996 Aug 19;372(2):215-28 PubMed

J Neurosci. 1997 May 15;17(10):3599-609 PubMed

J Neurosci. 1997 May 15;17(10):3710-26 PubMed

Int J Dev Neurosci. 1997 Oct;15(6):749-54 PubMed

J Neurosci. 1998 Nov 1;18(21):8559-70 PubMed

Exp Neurol. 1998 Dec;154(2):336-52 PubMed

Quantification of Solid Embryonic Cerebellar Graft Volume in a Degenerative Ataxia Model

Consensus Paper: Strengths and Weaknesses of Animal Models of Spinocerebellar Ataxias and Their Clinical Implications

Sonic Hedgehog and Triiodothyronine Pathway Interact in Mouse Embryonic Neural Stem Cells

Embryonic Cerebellar Graft Morphology Differs in Two Mouse Models of Cerebellar Degeneration