The Basal Ganglia is a group of subcortical nuclei in the brain that are interconnected with the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and other limbic structures. The basal ganglia are important in the processing of motor commands, reinforcement learning, and habit formation. Disorders of the basal ganglia include Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Tourette syndrome, and dystonia.
The term “basal ganglia” refers to a group of subcortical nuclei in the brain that are interconnected with the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and other limbic structures. The basal ganglia are important in the processing of motor commands, reinforcement learning, and habit formation. The best known disorders of the basal ganglia are Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), Tourette syndrome (TS), and dystonia.
Basal ganglia dysfunction can result from genetic mutations, infections, head trauma, or stroke. In most cases, however, the cause is unknown. PD is characterized by tremor (shaking), rigidity (stiffness), bradykinesia (slowness of movement), and postural instability (impaired balance). HD is characterized by involuntary movements called chorea as well as cognitive decline and psychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety. TS is characterized by repetitive involuntary movements or tics such as eye blinking or head nodding as well as vocal outbursts called coprolalia or echolalia. Dystonia is characterized by sustained muscle contractions that force certain body parts into abnormal positions such as twisting of the neck or curling of the toes inward.
There is no cure for any disorder of the basal ganglia at present but treatments are available to help manage symptoms. PD can be treated with medication or surgery; HD generally requires treatment with medication; TS often improves on its own over time but medications may be necessary to control tics; dystonia can be treated with botulinum toxin injections or surgery .