What is the function of the caudate putamen?

The putamen is a large structure located within the brain. It is involved in a very complex feedback loop that prepares and aids in movement of the limbs. It is closely intertwined with the caudate nucleus, nucleus accumbens, and globus pallidus, which are together known as the corpus striatum.

What is bilateral putamen?

The putamen is the outermost portion of the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia are located bilaterally, and have rostral and caudal divisions. The putamen is located in the rostral division as part of the striatum. The basal ganglia receive input from the cerebral cortex, via the striatum.

How does the cerebral cortex communicate with putamen?

Connections of Basal Nuclei Input to the basal nuclei is from the cerebral cortex, which is an excitatory connection releasing glutamate as a neurotransmitter. This input is to the striatum, or the caudate and putamen. The output from the basal nuclei is to the thalamus, which is an inhibitory projection using GABA.

Is putamen part of basal ganglia?

The basal ganglia comprise a distributed set of brain structures in the telencephalon, diencephalon, and mesencephalon (Figure 4.1 and Table 1). The forebrain structures include the caudate nucleus, the putamen, the nucleus accumbens (or ventral striatum) and the globus pallidus.

What does the caudate nucleus control?

These deep brain structures together largely control voluntary skeletal movement. The caudate nucleus functions not only in planning the execution of movement, but also in learning, memory, reward, motivation, emotion, and romantic interaction.

Is putamen gray matter?

Putamen is enriched with dopamine and associated with dopamine-related phenotypes including many neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders that manifest with motor impairment, impulsive behavior, and cognitive deficits. The gray matter volume of the putamen is age-dependent and genetically controlled.

Is putamen white or GREY matter?

The caudate and putamen are separated from one another by a white matter tract called the internal capsule, but there are many strands of grey matter that cross the internal capsule between the two structures.

What does putamen mean in English?

: the large dark lateral part of the basal ganglion which comprises the external portion of the corpus striatum and which has connections to the caudate nucleus.

What is the caudate nucleus made of?

Each caudate nucleus is composed of a large anterior head, a body, and a thin tail that wraps anteriorly such that the caudate nucleus head and tail can be visible in the same coronal cut. When combined with the putamen, the pair is referred to as the striatum and is often considered jointly in function.