RC, M.D.

THE BASAL NUCLEI ( BASAL GANGLIA) AND THEIR  Striopallidum fibers – from CN and P to pallidum
CONNECTIONS [DR. GASCO]  Corticostriatal fibers – from cortex going to CN and P

* Associated with the motor speech thru its connection with the  Divided by a band of nerve fibers (internal capsule)
motor cortex. into:
1. Caudate nucleus
Cerebral medulla: 2. Lentiform nucleus
I. Fibers
1. Commissural 1. Caudate nucleus
 Connects two cerebral hemisphere - follows contour of lateral ventricle (making it a C-
 Largest: corpus callosum shaped gray matter)
2. Projection - lateral surface of the nucleus is RT internal capsule,
 Longest which separates it from the lentiform nucleus
 From cortex to brainstem, spinal cord to - divided into:
subcortical structures a) head
(corticobulbar/corticonuclear) b) body
 Corticospinal tract (largest) c) tail
-starts:
Corona radiata a. Head
- large & rounded
- forms the lateral wall of the anterior horn of the
Internal capsule lateral ventricle
- continuous inferiorly with the putamen of the
lentiform nucleus
Corticospinal trunk ***caudate nucleus and the putamen are sometimes referred to
(crus cerebri – midbrain) as the neostriatum or striatum
(tegmentum & basilar pons – pons)
(pyramid/pyramidal tracts/ extra ***superior to the neostriatum, strands of gray matter pass
pyramidal motor system – M.O.) through the internal capsule, giving the region a striated
appearance

***internal capsule separates the head from the lentiform

Spinal cord
nucleus
3. Association
b. Body
 Connects lobe to lobe; same hemisphere
- Long & narrow
 Uncinated fasciculus- connects motor
- continuous with the head in the region of the
(brocas) to speech area (Wernicke’s)
interventricular foramen
- Forms part of the floor of the body of the lateral
II. Basal nuclei
ventricle
 collection of masses of grey situated within each
cerebral hemisphere
c. Tail
 gray matter located in white matter
- Long & slender
- continuous with the body in the region of the
Composition:
posterior end of the thalamus
A. Corpus striatum
- forms the roof the inferior horn of the lateral
B. Amygdaloid nucleus – part of limbic syst.
ventricle
C. Claustrum – no functional significance; small strip
- Terminates anteriorly in the amygdaloid nucleus; no
of gray matter
functional relationship ONLY ANATOMICAL
* Corpus striatum: motor area.
2. Lentiform nucleus
* Amygdaloid body: limbic system & olfactory system.
- composed of putamen (outer part) & globus pallidus
(medial part)
A. Corpus Striatum
- Wedge-shaped mass of grey matter
* Situated lateral to the thalamus.
- broad convex base is directed laterally
CAUDATE NUCLEUS
- blade directed medially
PUTAMEN “striatum”
- Buried deep in the white matter of the cerebral
GLOBUS PALLIDUS – “pallidum”
hemisphere
CN+P = striatum
P+GP= lentiform nucleus
 RC, M.D.
GLOBUS PALLIDUS divided into: lateral and medial segment  Main sites for receiving “input” to the basal nuclei:
• Relations: o Caudate nucleus
 Medially: Internal capsule (separates the lentiform o Putamen
nucleus from the caudate nucleus)  Major sites for sending / from which “output” leaves
the basal nuclei.
 Laterally: External capsule (separates the lentiform  Receives no direct input from / output to the spinal
nucleus from the *claustrum) cord.

*** claustrum – separates the external capsule from the Afferent fibers: (corpus striatum)
subcortical white matter of the insula - CORTICOSTRIATAL
• Projections (axons) from the cerebral cortex to the
 A vertical plate of white matter divides the nucleus caudate nucleus & putamen
into: • Most projections (axons) are from the cortex of the same
 Putamen side
- outer large & dark • Neurotransmitter: glutamate
 Globus pallidus
- inner ,lighter - THALAMOSTRIATAL
 Lightness (paleness) is due to the presence of a • Projections (axons) from the intralaminar nuclei to the
high concentration of myelinated nerve fibers. caudate nucleus & putamen

 Continuous with the head of the caudate - NIGROSTRIATAL

nucleus (inferiorly at its anterior end). • Projections (axons) from the substancia nigra to the
caudate nucleus & putamen
• Neurotransmitter: dopamine
* Anterior limb of the internal capsule.
- Separates the head of the caudate nucleus from the - Brainstem striatal
lentiform nucleus. • Ascending fibers from the brainstem to the caudate
* Posterior limb of the internal capsule nucleus & putamen
- Separates the lentiform nucleus from the thalamus • Neurotransmitter: serotonin
- Fibers of grey matter • Fibers are inhibitory in function
• Cortex: Corona radiate (fan shaped)
• Medulla: Internal capsule (condensed) ***Ventral anterior & Ventral lateral – thalamic nuclei assoc
• Midbrain: Crus cerebri; Corticospinal (middle 3/5) with motor system
• Pons: Basilar pons
• Medulla oblongata: Pyramids Efferent fibers: (corpus striatum)
• Spinal cord: Lateral corticospinal tracts - STRIOPALLIDUM
• Fibers that pass from the caudate nucleus & putamen to
B. Amygdaloid Nucleus the globus pallidus
* Situated in the temporal lobe close to the uncus. • Neurotransmitter: GABA
* Considered to be part of the limbic system.
* Through its systems it can influence the body’s response to - STRIONIGRAL
environmental changes • Fibers that pass from the caudate nucleus & putamen to
the substancia nigra
C. Claustrum • Neurotransmitter:
* A thin sheet of grey matter that is separated from the lateral - GABA
surface of the lentiform nucleus by the external capsule. - Acetylcholine
* Lateral to the claustrum is the subcortical white matter of the - Substance P
insula.
* Function: unknown Pallido-pallidal from lat segment to medial segment

Substancia Nigra (Midbrain) & Subthalamic Nuclei

(diencephalon)
 Functionally closely related to the activities of the Terminology Commonly Used to Describe the Basal Nuclei
basal nuclei. Neurological Structure Basal Nucleus (Nuclei)
 Neurons of the SUBSTANCIA NIGRA are dopaminergic Caudate nucleus Caudate nucleus
& inhibitory, and have many connections to the Lentiform nucleus Globus pallidus plus putamen
corpus striatum. Claustrum Claustrum
 Neurons of the SUBTHALAMIC NUCLEI are Corpus striatum Caudate nucleus plus
glutaminergic & excitatory, and have many lentiform nucleus
connections to the globus pallidus & substancia nigra. Neostriatum (striatum) Caudate nucleus plus putamen
Amygdaloid body Amygdaloid nucleus
Connections of the Corpus striatum & Globus pallidus

Connections of the Globus Pallidus
Afferent fibers:
- STRIATOPALLIDAL
• Fibers that pass from the caudate nucleus & putamen to
the globus pallidus.
• Neurotransmitter: GABA (gama-aminobutiric acid).
Efferent fibers -- takes origin form medial segment of globus
pallidus
- PALLIDOFUGAL
• Divisions:
1. Ansa lenticularis
▪ Pass to the thalamic nuclei. Primarily VA
2. Fasciculus lenticularis
▪ Pass to the subthalamus
3. Pallidotegmental
▪ Terminates in the caudal egmentum of the
midbrain
4. Pallidosubthalamic
▪ Pass to the subthalamic nuclei
NB: 1 & 2 (above) – from medial Globus pallidus to thalamus
3 & 4 (above) – from medial Globus pallidus to substancia
nigra
Functions of the Basal Nuclei
1. Received afferent information of the corpus striatum
are processed and are sent back.
2. Influences the cerebral cortex and thus, controlling
muscular movements.
3. Has no direct control through descending pathways to
the brainstem & spinal cord.
4. Assists in the regulation of voluntary movement.
5. Assists in learning motor skills.
6. Destruction of the primary motor cerebral cortex
 No fine discrete movements are performed
(hands & feet) on the opposite side of the
body.
 There is still performance of gross crude
movements of the opposite limbs.
7. Destruction of the corpus striatum:
 There is paralysis of the remaining
movements of the opposite side of the body.
8. Influences the execution of a movement & help
prepare for the movement to be performed, thru:
 Controlling the axial & girdle movements of
the body.
 Positioning the proximal parts of the limbs.
CIRCUIT OF PAPEZ!!! READ. 
DISORDERS OF THE BASAL NUCLEI
* General types:
- HYPERKINETIC DISORDERS
• excessive & abnormal movements
• Such disorders are:
1. Chorea
2. Athetosis
3. Ballism
RC, M.D.
- HYPOKINETIC DISORDERS
• lack/slowness of movements
• Such disorders are:
1. Parkinson’s disease
1. CHOREA
**Symptoms:
- Nonrepetitive, involuntary, quick, jerky, irregular
movements
- Swift grimaces
- Sudden movements of the head & limbs
**Types:
A. Huntington’s disease / Huntington’ chorea
• Autosomal dominant inherited disease
• Onset: adult life
• Death occurrence: 15 - 20 years after onset
• Single gene defect (chromosome 4)
• There is defect in encoding huntingtin (protein with
unknown function)
• Affects both men & women with equal frequency
• There is degeneration/decreased GABA-secreting,
substance P-secreting, acetylcholine-secreting neurons.
• There is overactive dopa-secreting neurons.
• CT scan results: enlarged lateral ventricles (degeneration
of the caudate nucleus)
• Specific signs & symptoms:
- Choreiform movements
▪ Early: (few muscles are involved)
- Involuntary movement of extremities.
- Twitching of the face.
▪ Later: (more muscles are involved)
- Immobility.
- Unable to speak (aphasia) / swallow (dysphagia).
- Progressive dementia
▪ Loss of memory.
▪ Loss of intellectual capacity.
B. Sydenham’s chorea
• “St. Vitus’ dance”
• Disease of childhood
• Associated with rheumatic fever
• Antigens of streptococcal bacteria is similar in protein
structure of the striatal neuron membranes
• Rapid, irregular, involuntary movements of the
limbs, face, and trunk
• There is transient choreiform movements.
• There is full recovery.
2. ATHETOSIS
 Consists of slow, sinuous, writhing movements (distal
segments of the limbs).
 There is degeneration of the globus pallidus due to the
breakdown of the circuitry of the basal nuclei &
cerebral cortex.
3. HEMIBALLISMUS
 forceful involuntary movement confined to one side of
the body
 involves the proximal extremity musculature
 limb suddenly flies about out of control in all directions
 The lesion (a small stroke) occurs in the opposite
subthalamic nucleus/its connections.
 RC, M.D.
* Subthalamic nucleus: Cerebellar & vestibular damage – uncoordinated
- Where all smooth movements of the different parts of the
body are integrated.
movements, voluntary tremors, no paralysis
Most violent form!
Motor cortex damage = paralysis
(HYPOKINETIC)
1. PARKINSON’S DISEASE/PARALYSIS AGITANS
 A progressive disease with unknown cause
 Occurrence: 45 - 55 years of age
NB: READ FOR THE FIBERS FOUND AT ANTERIOR &
 Deficiency/decrease of dopamine (levo-
dopa, L-DOPA) w/n the corpus striatum POSTERIOR LIMB OF INTERNAL CAPSULE.
 Associated with the neuronal degeneration in the:
 Substancia nigra
 Globus pallidus
 Putamen
 Caudate nucleus
*** Signs & symptoms:
- Tremor
• Slow
• Occurs when limbs are at rest (opposite to cerebellum!!)
• Disappears during sleep
- Rigidity
• Present to an equal extent in opposing muscle groups
•Plastic rigidity: rigidity felt as resistance to passive
movements if tremors are absent
• Cogwheel rigidity: rigidity felt as resistance overcomes a
series of jerks if tremors are present
- Bradykinesis
• difficulty initiating (akinesia) & performing new
movements
• Characteristics of movements:
- Slow
- Expressionless face
- Slurred & unmodulated voice
- No swinging of arms when walking
- Postural disturbances
• Stands with a stoop
• Arms are flexed
• When walking, patient takes short steps & is unable to
stop
• May exhibit shuffling run to maintain balance
- No loss of muscle power & sensibility

**Types
A. POSTENCEPHALIC PARKINSONISM
 Developed after a viral encephalitis damaging the
basal nuclei.

B. IATROGENIC PARKINSONISM
 Side-effects of drugs such as:
-- Antipsychotic drugs (phenothiazines)
-- Meperidine analogues
-- Carbon monoxide & Manganese poisoning

C. ATHEROSCLEROTIC PARKINSONISM
 Can occur in hypertensive elderly patients.

D. DRUG INDUCED