Abstract
The full range of basal ganglia functions is still uncertain, but they are principally concerned with the release and suppression of cortically generated movements. They are phylogenetically old, being present in all vertebrates including the reptiles, which have essentially no neocortex. It is likely that their function was originally related to aspects of motivation and homeostasis, mediated by the allocortex (limbic cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus). More recently, they have become closely associated with the neocortex (frontal sensory and motor cortices) and provide a link between cognitive processes and movement. In humans, several diseases are related to basal ganglia dysfunction, the most common being Parkinson’s Disease.
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Abbreviations
- CM:
-
Centromedial nucleus of the thalamus
- GABA:
-
Gamma-aminobutyric acid
- GPe:
-
Globus pallidus external compartment
- GPi:
-
Globus pallidus internal compartment
- l-DOPA:
-
l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine a metabolic precursor of dopamine
- MD:
-
Mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus
- MPTP:
-
1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetra-hydropyridine
- NMDA:
-
N-methyl-d-aspartic acid or N-methyl-d-aspartate
- SNpc:
-
Substantia nigra pars compacta
- SNpr:
-
Substantia nigra pars reticulata
- STN:
-
Subthalamic nucleus
- VA:
-
Ventroanterior nucleus of the thalamus
- VL:
-
Ventrolateral nucleus of the thalamus
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Miall, R.C. (2021). Basal Ganglia: Basic Principles. In: Pfaff, D.W., Volkow, N.D., Rubenstein, J. (eds) Neuroscience in the 21st Century. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6434-1_37-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6434-1_37-3
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