Functions of the Cortico-Basal Ganglia Loop

1. Basal ganglia (Systems Organization).- Role of basal ganglia in sensory motor association learning.- Procedural learning in the monkey.- The primate basal ganglia between the intention and outcome of action.- 2. Basal ganglia (Cellular Organization).- Corticostriatal neurons of the medial agranular cortex of rats.- Local circuit neurons in the frontal cortex and the neostriatum.- Long-term changes of corticostriatal synaptic transmission: possible implication for motor memory.- 3. Basal ganglia (Thalamo-cortical systems).- Basal ganglia ‘loops’ with the cerebral cortex.- Synaptic organization of the ventral lateral thalamus and the reticular nucleus in the cerebello-thalamo-cortical system.- Pallidal output circuits in the thalamus.- 4. Frontal cortex.- Neuronal activity in the supplementary, presupplementary, and premotor cortex of monkey.- The role of dopamine in frontal motor cortical functions of monkeys.- 5. Clinical perspectives and future directions.- Activity of the pallidal neurons related to voluntary and involuntary movements in humans.- Mechanisms of bradykinesia -- disturbances in sensorimotor processing.