Understanding and treating brain disorders such as tremor, imbalance, and speech impairments requires deep knowledge of the cerebellum, a part of the brain that’s crucial for making accurate movements.

Scientists have long been able to eavesdrop on and record the electrical signals transmitted by neurons (brain cells) in the cerebellum, allowing them to observe the signals entering and exiting this region. But the computations that the brain performs between the input and output have been largely a mystery.

However, that is now changing. A team of researchers, including those from Baylor College of Medicine, have created an artificial intelligence tool that can identify the type of neuron producing electrical signals recorded from the cerebellum during behavior, allowing a new understanding of how the cerebellum works.