The cerebellum in social cognition

Traditionally associated with motor control, the cerebellum is increasingly recognized as an important contributor to social cognition, yet evidence remains dispersed across methodologies, domains and clinical populations. We aimed to systematically review the empirical literature on the role of the cerebellum in social cognition, focusing on Theory of Mind and emotion recognition. Following PRISMA guidelines, searches were performed in PubMed, PsycINFO, Redalyc and SciELO for publications between January 1998 and March 2026. A total of 127 original empirical studies were included, employing functional and structural neuroimaging, lesion models and non-invasive neurostimulation, in both healthy and clinical populations. Findings converge in supporting an active involvement of the cerebellum in social cognition, with a differentiated topographical organization involving Crus I, Crus II and the vermis depending on the domain and type of processing. Deficits associated with cerebellar damage are documented transdiagnostically in ataxias, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, frontotemporal dementia and traumatic brain injury. Results are interpreted within the framework of the cerebellar predictive system, with implications for clinical assessment and for the development of therapeutic interventions in populations with cerebellar damage.