The striatum is the main input region of the basal ganglia, made up of the caudate nucleus and putamen (dorsal striatum) and the nucleus accumbens with olfactory tubercle (ventral striatum). Its name comes from the striped look created by grey bridges crossing the internal capsule. It receives input from almost all of the cortex and dopamine from the midbrain.
| Location | Deep in each hemisphere, around the anterior limb of the internal capsule and lateral to it |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Connections |
|
| Blood Supply | Lenticulostriate arteries; Recurrent artery of Heubner |
Receives cortical and dopamine input to select actions, form habits and learn from reward.
Dopamine loss in the striatum causes Parkinson disease, and degeneration of striatal neurons causes Huntington disease. DaT scans image striatal dopamine transporters to support a diagnosis of Parkinson disease. The ventral striatum is central to reward, so it is involved in addiction.
Dopamine depletion of the striatum producing slowness, rigidity and tremor.
Loss of striatal medium spiny neurons causing chorea and cognitive decline.
Altered dopamine signalling in the ventral striatum reinforcing compulsive drug use.
This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Some are essential for site functionality, while others help us analyze and improve your usage experience. Please review your options and make your choice.
If you are under 16 years old, please ensure that you have received consent from your parent or guardian for any non-essential cookies.
Your privacy is important to us. You can adjust your cookie settings at any time. For more information about how we use data, please read our privacy policy. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking on the settings button below.
Note that if you choose to disable some types of cookies, it may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Some required resources have been blocked, which can affect third-party services and may cause the site to not function properly.
This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and ensure the site functions properly. By continuing to use this site, you acknowledge and accept our use of cookies.
