From April 2025: Dr. Reza Shadmehr on the Cerebellum, Prediction & How the Brain Controls Movement

Originally released in April 2025, this conversation is being re-released as part of a selection of guest interviews from the podcast archive.

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Reza Shadmehr of Johns Hopkins University about the cerebellum and one of the brain's most fundamental problems: how do we learn to control our movements accurately? With a background spanning electrical engineering, robotics, biomedical engineering, and neuroscience, Dr. Shadmehr has spent his career investigating the computations that allow the brain to learn, predict, and control movement.

We discuss internal models, motor learning and memory, prediction, sensory feedback, error correction, Purkinje cells, and how the cerebellum helps distinguish the sensory consequences of our own actions from information coming from the outside world. We also explore reward and effort, eye and tongue movements, research with marmosets, sensory processing, and the possible relevance of cerebellar function beyond movement, including cognition and autism. The conversation reveals the cerebellum as much more than a structure for coordination. It is deeply involved in learning what to expect and using those predictions to make behavior accurate.

Shadmehr Lab: http://shadmehrlab.org

Publications: http://shadmehrlab.org/publications

YT Videos (Very Good !): https://www.youtube.com/@shadmehrlab1352

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR CHROMA'S NEW LIGHTS!!!

Elevate How You Navigate with Len & a free call https://elevatehowyounavigate.com

MAYU Water, use "autism" for 10% off at https://mayuwater.com

Daylight Computer Company, use "autism" for $50 off at https://buy.daylightcomputer.com/autism

Daylight Kids (!!!) https://kids.daylightcomputer.com/autism ‪

Chroma Light Devices, use "autism" for 10% discount at https://getchroma.co/?ref=autism

00:00 Reza Shadmehr

02:26 Daylight Computer Company, use "autism" for $25 discount

06:45 Chroma Light Devices- Lights Designed for Humans, use "autism" for 10% discount

9:54 Reza's journey into Biomedical Engineering & Neuroscience

16:26 Understanding the Cerebellum; 3 primary functions

22:07 Neuronal Communication & Purkinje Cells; Sensory and Interneurons

25:41 Cerebellum, eyes, and Autistic phenotype; Mesencephalon & other connections

28:13 Excitation/Inhibition (E/I) balance; Video examples & Movement deficiencies

29:29 Layers of the Cerebellum

34:08 E/I & Brain function

36:30 Learning & Memory in the Cerebellum

39:54 Dysfunction & Brain Compensation

41:57 Basal Ganglia and Cerebellum

43:48 Internal Calculators & Prediction

49:42 Reward & Movement & Accuracy

52:52 Movement control; Eye movements

55:56 Purkinje Cells & Tongue movements; deceleration

59:47 Understanding Language of the Cerebellum

1:01:58 Future of Cerebellar Technology