Neuronal circuit of the basal ganglia and changes of response patterns to cortical input in the substantia nigra pars reticulata. (IMAGE)

National Institutes of Natural Sciences

Neuronal circuit of the basal ganglia and changes of response patterns to cortical input in the substantia nigra pars reticulata.

Caption

The basal ganglia receive cortical inputs and send processed information to the output nuclei, the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), through the three pathways termed the hyperdirect, direct, and indirect pathways. In Parkinson's disease, dopaminergic neurons are degenerated, and the balance between the direct and indirect pathways are supposed to be lost, resulting in akinesia.

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Hiromi Sano

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