BASAL GANGLIA

Introduction:
-subcortical, intracerebral masses of
grey matter forming important
parts of extrapyramidal system.
They include followings:
1) Corpus striatum- is partially
divided by internal capsule into
two nuclei they are
a) Caudate nucleus
b) Lentiform nucleus.(further
divided into lateral part
putamen & medial part globus
pallidus.Caudate nucleus &
putamen are often grouped as
striatum & globus pallidus is
pallium.
2) Amygdaloid body forms a part of
limbic system
3) Claustrum
Corpus Striatum
-corpus striatum comprises caudate
nucleus & lentiform nucleus.
Caudate nucleus
-C shaped or comma shaped nucleus
which is surrounded by lateral
ventricle.- Concavity of C
encloses thalamus & internal
capsule
-it has head, body & tail
-head forms floor of anterior horn of
lateral ventricle and medial wall
of anterior limb of internal
capsule- band of grey matter
connect it to putamen across the
ant. limb of internal capsule near
anterior perforated substance.
-body forms floor of central part of
lateral ventricles and lies medial
to posterior limb of internal
capsule.- separated from
thalamus by stria terminalis &
thalamostriate vein.
-superiorly, related to frontooccipital
bundle & corpus callosum
-tail forms roof of inferior horn of
lateral ventricle & ends by joining
amygdaloid body at temporal pole
-medially, related to stria terminalis,-
laterally to tapetum & superiorly
to sublentiform part of internal
capsule & globus pallidus.
Lentiform Nucleus:
-large lens-shaped(biconvex)
nucleus forming lateral
boundary of internal capsule
-lies beneath insula & claustrum.
It has 3 surfaces:
-lateral suface is convex &
related to external capsule,
claustrum, outermost capsule,
insula & is grooved by lateral
striate arteries.
-medial surface is more convex-
related to internal capsule,
caudate nucleus & thalamus.
-inferior surface is related to
sublentiform part of internal
capsule which separates it
from optic tract, tail of
caudate nucleus & inferior
horn of lateral ventricle.-it is
grooved by anterior
commisure just behind
anterior perforated substance.
-lentiform nucleus is divided into
two parts by a thin lamina of
white matter.
* larger lateral part is putamen
* smaller medial part is called
globus pallidus. Made up of
large motor cells.
Morphological Divisions of
Corpus Striatum:
-paleostriatum is older &
primitive part- is represented
by globus pallidus (pallium)
-neostriatum is more recent in
development.-is represented
by caudate nucleus &
putamen of lentiform nucleus.
-neostriatum is often called
striatum.
 Connections of Corpus Striatum:
Caudate nucleus & putamen are afferent nuclei whlie globus pallidus is efferent
nucleus. Connections are shown below.
Functions of Corpus Striatum:
-regulates muscles tone & thus
helps in smoothening
voluntary movements.
-controls automatic associated
movements like swinging of
arms during walking –controls
coordintated movements of
different parts of body for
emotional expression.
-influences precentral motor
cortex which is supposed to
control extrapyramidal
activities of body
 Clinical Anatomy
-lesion of corpus striatum result in
parkinsonism. Rigidity & tremor.
This disease can be controlled by
both medically & surgically
*Medically: Use of Dopamin
antagonist.(L-dopa)
*Surgically: Pallidotomy &
thalamotomy
-hypertonicity or lead pipe like
muscular rigidity.
-bradykinesia
-involuntary movement like tremor &
other types abnormal movements
like chorea, hemiballismus,
asthetosis.
Amygdaloid Body:
-nuclear mass of temporal lobe,
lying anterosuperior to
inferior horn of lateral
ventricle. – is continuous with
tail of caudate nucleus
-part of limbic system.
-continuous with cortex of uncus,
limen insulae & anterior
perforated substances
* afferents: from olfactory tract
* efferent: gives rise to stria
terminalis ends in anterior
commissure, anterior
perforated substance &
hypothalamic nuclei.
Claustrum
-saucer-shaped nucleus situated
between putamen & insula.- it
is the thickest & continuous
with anterior perforated
substance.- function is
claustrum is unknown.
 White Matter of Cerebrum
-consists chiefly of
myelinated fibers which
connect various parts of
cortex to one another &
also to other parts of CNS

-classified into 3 groups

*association fibers.
*projections fibers.
*commissural fibers.
Association (Arcuate) Fibers:
-fibers connects different cortical
areas of same hemisphere to
one another. Subdivided into
two types:
*short association fibers connect
gyri to one another
*long association fibers connect
more widely separated to on
another eg.
#uncinate fasciculus connects
temporal pole to motor area &
orbital cortex.
#cingulum connects cingulate
gyrus & to parahippocampal
gyrus
#sup.longitudinal fasciculus
connects frontal lobe to
occipital & temporal lobs
#inf. Longitudinal fasciculus
connects occipital & temporal
lobes.
Projections Fibers:
-connects cerebral cortex to
other part of CNS eg. brain
stem & spinal cord, many
important tracts like
corticospinal & coticopontine
are made up of this fibers.
Commissural Fibers:
-connects corresponding
parts of two hemispheres-
constitute commissures of
cerebrum they are as
follows:
*corpus callosum connecting
cerebral cortex of two
sides
*anterior commissure
connecting archipallia
(olfactory bulbs, piriform
area & anterior part of
temporal lobe)
*posterior commissure
connects sup. colliculi &
also transmitting
corticotectal fibers from
pretectal nucleus to EW
nucleus of opposite side.
*the commissure of fornix
(hippocampal commisure):
connects crura of fornix & thus
hippocampal formations of
two sides
*habenular commissure connects
habenular nuclei
*hypothalamic commissures
including anterior
hypothalamic commissure (of
Ganser), ventral supraoptic
commissure (of Gudden) &
dorsal supraoptic commissure
(of Meynert)
Corpus Callosum:
-largest commissure of brain.-
connects two cerebral
hemispheres. Since it is
neopallial commissure attains
great size in man (10 cm
long)
-connects all parts of cerebral
cortex of two sides except
lower & anterior parts of
temporal lobes which are
connected by anterior
commissure.
Parts of Corpus Callosum:
-anterior end is genu- lies 4 cm
behind frontal pole – related
aneriorly to anterior cerebral
arteries & posteriorly to
anterior horn of lateral
ventricle.
-rostrum is directed downwards
& backwards from genu &
ends by joining lamina
terminalis. –in front of
anterior commissure, it is
related to anterior horn of
lateral ventricle & inferiorly to
indusium griseum &
longitudinal striae.
-trunk or body is middle part,
between genu & splenium-
superior surface is convex
from backward & concave
from side to side. –related to
anterior cerebral arteries & to
lower border of falx cerebri.-
overlapped by cingulate gyrus
& covered by indusium
griseum & longitudinal striae.
inferior surface is concave
from backwards & convex
from side to side.- provides
attachment to septum
pellucidum & fornix, & forms
central part of roof of lateral
ventricles.
-splenium is posterior end
forming thickest part of it.-lies
6cm front of occipital pole.-
inferior surface is related to
tela choroidea of 3rd ventricle
pulvinar, pineal body &
tectum of midbrain.- sup.
Surface is related to inf.
Saggital sinus & falx cerebri.
–posteriorly related to great
cerebral vein, straight sinus &
free margin on tentorium
cerebelli.
Fibers of Corpus Callosum:
-rostrum connects orbital surfaces of
two frontal lobes
-forceps minor is made up of fibers
of genu that connect two frontal
lobes]
-forceps major is made up of fibers
of genu that connects two
occipital lobes
-tapetum is formed by some fibers
from the trunk & spelnium of
corpus callosum.-tapetum forms
roof and lateral wall of posterior
horn & lateral wall of inferior horn
of lateral ventricle.
-corpus callosum helps to coordinate
activities of two hemispheres.
Internal Capsule
-large band of fibers situated in
inferomedial part of each cerebral
hemisphere
-in horizontal sections of brain it
appears V-shaped with its
concavity directed laterally &
concavity is occupied by lentiform
nucleus.
-it contains fibers going to & coming
from cerebral cortex.
-when traced upwards, fibers of
capsule diverge continuous with
corona radiata. When traced
downwards its fibers converge &
many of them are continous with
crus cerebri of mid brain.
-internal capsule is divided into
following parts:
* ant. Limb lies between head of
caudate nucleus & lentiform
nuclues.
* post. limb lies between
thalamus & lentiform nucleus.
*retrolentiform part lies behind
lentiform nucleus
*sublentiform part lies below
the lentiform nucleus
Blood Supply
Fibers of the internal capsule
Clinical Anatomy.