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.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
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
References
Barroso-Chinea P, Bezard E (2010) Basal ganglia circuits underlying the pathophysiology of levodopa-induced dyskinesia. Front Neuroanat 4(pii):131
Bostan AC, Strick PL (2018) The basal ganglia and the cerebellum: nodes in an integrated network. Nat Rev Neurosci 19:338–350. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-018-0002-7
Lanciego JL, Luquin N, Obeso JA (2012) Functional neuroanatomy of the basal ganglia. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2. https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a009621
Schultz W, Tremblay L, Hollerman JR (2003) Changes in behavior-related neuronal activity in the striatum during learning. Trends Neurosci 26(6):321–328
Wichmann T, DeLong MR (2011) Deep-brain stimulation for basal ganglia disorders. Basal Ganglia 1:65–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baga.2011.05.001
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
About this entry
Cite this entry
Miall, R.C. (2022). Basal Ganglia: Basic Principles. In: Pfaff, D.W., Volkow, N.D., Rubenstein, J.L. (eds) Neuroscience in the 21st Century. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88832-9_37
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88832-9_37
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-88831-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-88832-9
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences