Motor Functions of the Basal Ganglia


The sections in this article are:
  1. Anatomical Background
    1. Striatum
    2. Pallidal-Subthalamic Relations
    3. Basal Ganglia Output
    4. Thalamocortical Projections
  2. Motor Effects of Lesions
    1. General Considerations
    2. Lesions of Individual Nuclei
  3. Motor Effects of Electrical Stimulation
    1. Electrical Stimulation in Alert Animals
    2. Electrical Stimulation in Anesthetized Animals
    3. Do Basal Ganglia Exert Inhibitory Influence on Motor Mechanisms?
  4. Single-Cell Studies in The Basal Ganglia
    1. Spontaneous Activity
    2. Temporal Relation to Movement
    3. Somatotopic Organization
    4. Relations to Parameters of Movement
    5. Vestibular and Postural Mechanisms
    6. Responses to Peripheral Stimuli
    7. Relations to Specific Behaviors
    8. Summary
  5. Lesioning and Recording in Human Subjects
  6. Motor Behavioral Studies
    1. Reaction Time
    2. Speed of Movement
    3. Other Aspects of Motor Performance
    4. Continuous Pursuit Movements
  7. Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Basal Ganglia Disorders
    1. Akinesia and Hyperactivity
    2. Dyskinesias and Stereotyped BehaviorRigidity
    3. Resting Tremor
  8. Interpretative Summary