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The basal ganglia are of major importance for normal brain function and behaviour. Their dysfunction results in a wide range of neurological conditions including disorders of behaviour control and movement, as well as cognitive deficits that are similar to those that result from damage to the prefrontal cortex . [ 11 ]
The putamen is the outermost portion of the basal ganglia. These are a group of nuclei in the brain that are interconnected with the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and brainstem. The basal ganglia include the striatum, substantia nigra, nucleus accumbens, and the subthalamic nucleus.
The striatum (pl.: striata) or corpus striatum [5] is a cluster of interconnected nuclei that make up the largest structure of the subcortical basal ganglia. [6] The striatum is a critical component of the motor and reward systems; receives glutamatergic and dopaminergic inputs from different sources; and serves as the primary input to the rest of the basal ganglia.
The primary function of the basal ganglia appears to be action selection: they send inhibitory signals to all parts of the brain that can generate motor behaviors, and in the right circumstances can release the inhibition, so that the action-generating systems are able to execute their actions. Reward and punishment exert their most important ...
The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a small lens-shaped nucleus in the brain where it is, from a functional point of view, part of the basal ganglia system. In terms of anatomy, it is the major part of the subthalamus. As suggested by its name, the subthalamic nucleus is located ventral to the thalamus.
The globus pallidus is a structure in the brain involved in the regulation of voluntary movement. [8] It is part of the basal ganglia, which, among many other functions, regulate movements that occur on the subconscious level. The globus pallidus has a predominantly inhibitory effect on movement regulation, balancing cerebellar excitation.
The external capsule is a route for cholinergic fibers from the basal forebrain to the cerebral cortex. The putamen separates the external capsule from the internal capsule medially and the claustrum separates it from the extreme capsule laterally. But the external capsule eventually joins the internal capsule around the lentiform nucleus.
English: Connection diagram of the basal ganglia. Glutamatergic pathways are red, dopaminergic pathways are magenta and GABAergic pathways are blue. GPe = Globus Pallidus external; GPi = Globus Pallidus internal; STN = SubThalamic Nucleus; SNpr = Pars Reticulata portion of Substantia Nigra; SNpc = Pars Compacta portion of Substantia Nigra