Basal

Ganglia

Won Taek Lee, M.D., Ph.D.

BasalGangliaIntroduction
BasalGangliaIntroduction

Traditional Concepts of Basal Ganglia

Corpus Striatum
Caudate Nucleus
Lenticular Nucleus

Putamen
Globus Pallidus

Corpus Amygdaloideum

Neostriatum

Striatum

Paleostriatum

Pallidum

Archistriatum

Lateral surface
of basal ganglia

1. Putamen
2. Tail of caudate
nucleus
3. Caudatolenticular
gray bridge
4. Amygdaloid body
5. thalamus

1. head of
caudate nucelus
2. body of
caudate nucelus
3. caudatolenticular
gray bridge
4. putamen
5. tail of
caudate nucleus
6. external segment of
globus pallidus
7. internal segment of
globus pallidus
8. amygdaloid body
9. nucleus accumbens
septi

Medial surface of basal ganglia

BasalGangliaComponents
BasalGangliaComponents
Components of Basal Ganglia
Corpus Striatum
Striatum ----- Caudate Nucleus & Putamen
Pallidum ----- Globus Pallidus (GP)
Substantia Nigra
Pars Compacta (SNc)
Pars Reticulata (SNr)
Subthalamic Nucleus (STN)
Ventral Striatum and Ventral Pallidum
Nucleus Accumbens Septi
Non cholinergic portion of Substantia Innominata

BasalGangliaComponents
BasalGangliaComponents

STRIATUM
Caudate Nucleus
Head, (Corpus), Tail
caudatolenticular gray bridge

Putamen
Ventral Striatum: Nucleus Accumbens (Septi)

BasalGangliaComponents
BasalGangliaComponents
Striatal Compartments
(Mosaic or Modular Organization)
1. Striosome (Patches)
- 10-20% of total striatal mass
- low acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity
- high substance P (SP), neurotensin (NT), tyrosine hydroxylase
- high expression of D1 dopamine receptor
- high opiate receptor
2. Matrix
- high acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity
- high somatostatin (SRIF) activity
- high D2 dopamine receptor

Spiny I
neuron
Spiny II
neuron
Aspiny I
neuron
Aspiny II
neuron
Aspiny III
neuron
Neurogliform
cell

BasalGangliaComponents
BasalGangliaComponents

Striosome and
Matrix compartment

AchE

BasalGangliaComponents
BasalGangliaComponents
Inputs to the
spiny striatal neurons
distal extrinsic
proximal - intrinsic

BasalGangliaComponents
BasalGangliaComponents

PALLIDUM
Globus Pallidus (Pallidum)
Internal or Medial Segment (GPi)
internal medullary lamina

External or Lateral Segment (GPe)

Ventral Pallidum
Non-cholinergic portions
of substantia innominata

BasalGangliaComponents
BasalGangliaComponents

Substantia Nigra
Pars Compacta (SNc)
Dopaminergic Cell Group (A9)
cf. Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA, A10)
Retrorubral Area (A8)

Pars Reticulata (SNr)

Non-dopaminergic Portion
GABAergic Neuron

BasalGangliaComponents
BasalGangliaComponents

Subthalamus
Subthalamic Nucleus (STN)
zona incerta
Field of Forel
H
H1
H2

ansa lenticularis
thalamic fasciculus
lenticular fasciculus

Components of
Basal Ganglia
Putamen
Globus pallidus
external segment
internal segment
Subthalamic Nucleus
Substantia nigra
Internal capsule

Basal Ganglia

Components

Subthalamic Nucleus
1. epithalamus
2. dorsal thalamus
3. subthalamus
3-1. subthalamic
nucleus
3-2. zona incerta
3-3. globus pallidus
4. hypothalamus
5. putamen
arrow: internal capsule
Origin of subthalamic nucleus and putamen (Kuhlenbeck)

BasalGangliaConnections
BasalGangliaConnections
Input Portion
STRIATUM
(Caudate Nucleus and Putamen)
Output Portion
1. PALLIDUM (Globus Pallidus)
2. SNr (Substantia Nigra, Pars Reticulata)

BasalGangliaConnections
BasalGangliaConnections
STRIATUM
Afferents from
1. Cerebral Cortex [Corticostriatal Projection]
2. Thalamus (CM-PF complex) [Thalamostriatal Projection]
3. SNc (Substantia Nigra, pars compacta),
Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA, A10)
and A8(Retrorubral Area) [Nigrostriatal Projection]
4. Dorsal Raphe Nucleus (B6, B8) [Raphestriatal Projection]
5. Amygdaloid Nuclear Complex [Amygdalostriatal Projection]
Efferents to
1. Pallidum (GPi & GPe) [Striopallidal Projection]
2. SNr [Strionigral Projection]
3. SNc from striosome

Afferent Connections of Basal Ganglia

Input-Output
Relationship
of Basal Ganglia
1. striopallidal fiber
2. strionigral fiber
3. strionigral fiber
from striosome
to SNc
4. ventrostrioventro-pallidal fiber

BasalGangliaConnections
BasalGangliaConnections
PALLIDUM (Globus Pallidus)
Afferents from
1. Striatum [Striatopallidal Projection]
2. STN <GPi & GPe> [Subthalamopallidal Projection]
Efferents to
1. Thalamus (VLo, VApc, CM) <GPi> [Pallidothalamic Projection]
2. STN <GPe> [Pallidosubthalamic Projection]

SNr (Substantia Nigra, Pars Reticulata)

Afferents from Striatum [Striatonigral Projection]
Efferents to
1. Thalamus (VLm, VAmc, MD) [Nigrothalamic Projection]
2. Brain Stem Nucleus: Tectum (Superior Colliculus) &
Pedunculopontine Nucleus (PPN)

Efferent Connections of Basal Ganglia

BasalGangliaConnections
BasalGangliaConnections
Pallidothalamic Fibers
from GPi to VLo, VApc, CM

Ansa Lenticularis
from outer (lateral) portion of GPi
fibers sweep ventromedially and rostrally around
the posterior limb of the internal capsule
enters Forels field H

Lenticular Fasciculus
from inner (medial) portion of GPi
perforate internal capsule
enters Forels field H2

Thalamic fasciculus
ansa lenticularis, lenticular fasciculus
and cerebellothalamic fibers
Forels field H1

Connections
Connections of
of the
the Basal
Basal Ganglia
Ganglia
amygdaloid
amygdaloid body
body

Cerebral
Cerebral
Cortex
Cortex

raphe
raphe
STRIATUM
STRIATUM
Thalamus
Thalamus
STN
STN

SNc
SNc

Pallidum
Pallidum
SNr
SNr

tectum
tectum

(superior
(superior colliculus)
colliculus)

habenular
habenular
nucleus
nucleus

PPN
PPN

(pedunculopontine
(pedunculopontine nucleus)
nucleus)

Basal Ganglia (Main Motor Circuit)

Primary
Motor Area
(M I)

Connections

Supplementary
Motor Area
(SMA)

STRIATUM
(Putamen)

pyramidal
tract
THALAMUS
(VLo, VApc, CM)
LMN

ansa
lenticularis

lenticular
fasciculus

PALLIDUM
(GPi)

Basal Ganglia (Prefronatal Complex Loop)

Primary
Motor Area
(M I)

Connections

Prefrontal
Association
Cortex

STRIATUM
(Caudate
Nucleus)

THALAMUS

SNr

pyramidal
tract

(VLm, VAmc, MD)

LMN

(Substantia Nigra,
pars reticulata)

Basal Ganglia (Microcircuitary)

Connections

glutamate

Motor
Cortex

Striatum

+
glutamate ?

glutamate

VA-VL
complex

GABA

GABA

GP, SNr

Basal Ganglia (Limbic Loop)

Orbitofrontal Cortex
Anterior Cingulate Gyrus
Hippocampal Formation

THALAMUS
(VAmc, MD)

Connections

Ventral Striatum
Caudate Nucleus

Ventral Pallidum
GPi, SNr

Basal Ganglia (Oculomotor Loop)

Primary
Motor Area
(M I)

Connections

Frontal
Eye Field
(area 8)

STRIATUM
(Caudate
Nucleus)

THALAMUS

SNr

pyramidal
tract
(VLm, VAmc, MD)

LMN

Tectum

(Substantia Nigra,
pars reticulata)

Basal Ganglia (SNc and CM-PF nuclear complex)

Connections

Striatum

Striatum

THALAMUS
(CM-PF)

SNc

Pallidum

Pallidum

Basal Ganglia (Brain Stem Efferents)

aves (birds)

GPi

DIP (thalamus)
SpL
nDCP

Phylogeny
Neostriatum
Intermediale
(motor cortex)

Tectum
(superior
colliculus)

SNr

mammals

GPi
SNr

VA-VL complex
(thalamus)

motor
cortex

nPC

Tectum
(superior
colliculus)

Basal Ganglia (STN)

Connections
Subthalamic
Nucleus

Cerebral Coretx

STN
subthalamic
fasciculus

Output
Portion
of
Basal
Ganglia

Thalamus (CM-PF)
PPN

GPe

GPi

SNr

Basal Ganglia (Ventral Striatum and Ventral Pallidum)

Connections

Hippocampal
Formation
Basolateral
Amygdala
Thalamus
(MD)
Temporal &
Frontal Cortex
SNc, VTA &
Dorsal Raphe

Basolateral
Amygdala

Ventral
Striatum

Ventral
Pallidum

Thalamus
(MD)

PPN & VTA

Basal Ganglia (Brain Stem Efferents)

Striatum

Connections

Brain Stem & Spinal Cord

(caudate nucleus)

Tectum

tectospinal
tract

(superior
colliculus)

GPi, SNr

PPN
(midbrain
locomotor
region)

Basal Ganglia

Lower
Motor
Neuron
via
reticular
formation

Basal
Basal Ganglia
Ganglia and
and Pyramidal
Pyramidal Tract
Tract
SMA
SMA

(supplementary
(supplementarymotor
motorarea)
area)
upper motor neuron

UMN
pyramidal
tract

lower motor neuron

LMN

BASAL
GANGLIA
CIRCUIT

Basal
Basal Forebrain
Forebrain Area
Area

Components
Components

BASAL FORBRAIN AREA (Heimer)

Ventral Striatum, Part of
Ventral Pallidum
Basal Nucleus of Meynert (Ch4)
Extended Amygdala

cf. Cholinergic Cell Groups (Mesulam)

(Magnocellular Basomedial Telencephalic Complex )

1. Ch1 (Medial Septal Nucleus)

2. Ch2 (Nucleus of Diagonal Band of Broca)
3. Ch3 (Nucleus of Diagonal Band of Broca)
4. Ch4 (Basal Nucleus of Meynert)
5. Ch5 (Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus)

Basal
Basal Ganglia
Ganglia

Functional
Functional Consideration
Consideration

Functional Consideration
1. Selection of Preprogramed (learned) motor plans
Basal Gangla Circuit ---- Selection Mechanism
Selection Inability -------- Akinesia and Hypokinesia
Faulty Selection ----------- Hyperkinesia
2. Generation (learning) of motor programs
Programming of several motor fragments into
complex motor routines
Cerebral Palsy ------------- Disordered motor program

SYDENHAMS
SYDENHAMSCHOREA
CHOREA
Clinical Feature

Principal Pathologic Lesion: Corpus Striatum

- Complication of
Rheumatic Fever
- Fine, disorganized , and
random movements of
extremities, face and
tongue
- Accompanied by
Muscular Hypotonia
- Typical exaggeration of
associated movements
during voluntary activity
- Usually recovers
spontaneously
in 1 to 4 months

HUNTINGTONS CHOREA
Clinical Feature
- Predominantly autosomal dominantly
inherited chronic fatal disease
(Gene: chromosome 4)
- Insidious onset: Usually 40-50
- Choreic movements in onset
- Frequently associated with
emotional disturbances
- Ultimately, grotesque gait and sever
dysarthria, progressive dementia
ensues.

Principal Pathologic Lesion:

Corpus Striatum (esp. caudate nucleus)
and Cerebral Cortex

HEMIBALLISM
HEMIBALLISM
Clinical Feature

Lesion: Subthalamic Nucleus

- Usually results from CVA

(Cerebrovascular Accident)
involving subthalamic nucleus
- sudden onset
- Violent, writhing, involuntary
movements of wide excursion
confined to one half of the body
- The movements are continuous
and often exhausting but cease
during sleep
- Sometimes fatal due to exhaustion
- Could be controlled by
phenothiazines and stereotaxic
surgery

Parkinsons Disease

PD

Disease of mesostriatal
dopaminergic system

Muhammad Ali in Alanta Olympic

normal

Parkinsons Disease - Paralysis Agitans

Substantia Nigra,
Pars Compacta (SNc)
DOPAminergic Neuron

Clinical Feature (1)

Slowness of Movement
- Difficulty in Initiation and Cessation
of Movement

Parkinsons Disease
Paralysis Agitans

Clinical Feature (2)

Resting Tremor
Parkinsonian Posture
Rigidity-Cogwheel Rigidity