Functional Anatomy of Basal Ganglia

Adel K. Afifi, M.D.
Professor
Departments of Pediatrics, Anatomy and Cell Biology, and Neurology

Gary Van Hoesen, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology

Antoine Bechara, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Neurology

Robert Rodnitzky, M.D.
Professor
Department of Neurology

The University of Iowa

Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed
Creation Date: October 1998
Last Revision Date: October 1998

Table of Contents

1. Definitions and Nomenclature
   • Basal Ganglia
   • Corpus Striatum
   • Striatum, Dorsal Striatum and Neostriatum
   • Ventral Striatum
   • Pallidum and Paleostriatum
   • Lentiform Neucleus
   • Extrapyramidal System
2. Gross Features
3. Neuronal Populations
4. Connections
   • Input to Neostriatum
     1. Corticostriate Input
     2. Thalamostriate Input
     3. Mesencephalostriate Input
   • Output of Neostriatum
   • Input to Globus Pallidus and Substantia Nigra Pars Reticulata
   • Output of Internal Segment of Globus Pallidus and Substantia Nigra Pars Reticulata
   • Output of External Segment of Globus Pallidus
   • Subthalamic Nucleus Connections
   • Connections of Ventral (Limbic) Striatum
5. Cortico-Striato-Thalamo-Cortical Loops
6. Function
7. Blood Supply
8. Clinical Correlates
   • Chorea
   • Athetosis
   • Ballism
   • Dystonia
   • Motor Tics
   • Parkinson's Disease

Tables

1. Blood Supply of Basal Ganglia

Figures

1. Schematic Diagram of the Direct and Indirect Corticostriate Projections
2. Schematic Diagram of Nigrostriatal Pathway
3. Schematic Diagram of the Direct and Indirect Striatopallidal Pathways
4. Schematic Diagram of the Major Connections of the Basal Ganglia
5. Schematic Diagrams Showing the Anatomic Substrates of the Motor Loop
6. Schematic Diagram of Split Motor Circuit
7. Schematic Diagram of Split Associative Circuit
8. Schematic Diagram of Split Limbic Circuit
9. Coronal Brain Section from a Patient with Huntington's Chorea Showing Atrophy of the Caudate Nucleus