Cerebellar speech representation: lesion topography in dysarthria as derived from cerebellar ischemia and functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Lesion topography and the pathophysiological background of dysarthria due to focal cerebellar lesions have not yet been fully clarified.

Objectives: To investigate the lesion topography of dysarthria due to cerebellar ischemia and evaluate brainstem functions.

Design: Case studies.

Distribution and course of cortico-respiratory projections for voluntary activation in man. A transcranial magnetic stimulation study in healthy subjects and patients with cerebral ischemia.

The function and course of the cortico-respiratory projections in man are not yet well established. In 30 normal volunteers respiratory muscles were activated by magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex and the cervical and thoracic spinal roots with bilateral recordings from the respiratory muscles. Following cortical stimulation contralateral responses were obtained in all subjects during voluntary inspiration showing a mean latency and amplitude of 13.