Cerebellar growth is associated with domain-specific cerebral maturation and socio-linguistic behavior

Abstract

Abstract The cerebellum’s involvement in cognitive functions is increasingly recognized, yet its developmental contribution to cognition remains poorly understood. The cerebellum undergoes rapid development in early life, paralleling major cognitive and behavioral changes. Although clinical studies have linked early cerebellar disruptions to profound developmental deficits, it remains largely unclear how typical cerebellar maturation supports the development of cognitive functions and how it interacts with broader cerebral development. Here, we apply a normative modeling framework to map cerebellar volumetric growth from age one to young adulthood ( N  = 751; ages 1–21 years). Using both lobular and functional cerebellar parcellations, we characterize typical cerebellar development from late infancy and its relationship to cerebral development and behavioral performance in childhood through adulthood. Across parcellations, association areas consistently show steeper growth trajectories than sensorimotor areas. Cerebellar and cerebral areas with similar functional roles demonstrate coordinated maturation, and volumetric growth in the posterior cerebellum relates to individual differences in socio-linguistic behaviors. These findings establish a comprehensive reference for typical cerebellar development, highlight cerebellar co-maturation with the cerebral cortex, and underscore the cerebellum’s role in supporting the development of cognitive functions.