GENERAL HISTOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The “basal ganglia” refers to a group of subcortical nuclei responsible primarily for motor control, as well as other roles such as motor learning, executive functions and behaviors, and emotions.

Detailed explanation-2: -The basal ganglia are organized to facilitate voluntary movements and to inhibit competing movements that might interfere with the desired movement. Dysfunction of these circuits can lead to movement disorders that are characterized by impaired voluntary movement, the presence of involuntary movements, or both.

Detailed explanation-3: -The basal ganglia are associated with a variety of functions, including voluntary motor control, procedural learning relating to routine behaviors or habits such as bruxism and eye movements, as well as cognitive and emotional functions.

Detailed explanation-4: -For voluntary movement, function generators are necessary that are located in the brain-stem, cerebellum and basal ganglia. Following lesions of these generators, voluntary movements are impaired while stimulus-dependent movements are still possible. This discussion also applies to speech production.

Detailed explanation-5: -The function of the basal ganglia is to fine-tune the voluntary movements. They do so by receiving the impulses for the upcoming movement from the cerebral cortex, which they process and adjust. They convey their instructions to the thalamus, which then relays this information back to the cortex.