Basal ganglia

From Psy3242

The basal ganglia is a motor control region. The basal ganglia interacts with the cortex. In Parkinson's Disease, the basal ganglia is the structure that breaks down. The basal ganglia comprises several interconnected structures such as the caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, and substantia nigra. The basal ganglia in combination with the motor cortex determine which possible actions actually get put into effect by permitting some and inhibiting others. Researchers now think that the basal ganglia serve as a sort of gatekeeper for motor plans that originate in the cortex, and damage to any of the component structures will impair the cordination or control of movement.