Basal Ganglia and Thalamus

Basal ganglia

The basal ganglia are a group of nuclei within the internal portion of the brain that are important components of the extrapyramidal motor system involved in planning and executing fine voluntary movements. Movement disorders result from abnormalities of the basal ganglia including Parkinsons's disease and Huntington's disease. They serve as a switchboard between various cortical areas important in movement, by way of the thalamus. Blood is supplied primarily by medial and lateral lenticulostriate arteries from the anterior and middle cerebral arteries respectively.

Basal Ganglia: Caudate nucleus, putamen and globus pallidus

Lentiform Nuclues: Putamen and globus pallidus

Corpus Striatum: Caudate nucleus and putamen

Thalamus

The thalamus is an important structure within the central portion of the brain between the cerebral hemispheres and brainstem, that serves as a relay station for nearly all of the sensory pathways. Injury to the thalamus will likely result in sensory deficits. The thalamus is separated from the basal ganglia by the posterior limb of the internal capsule. The thalamus are paired structures situated along the banks of the third ventricle. Blood is supplied by branches of the posterior cerebral artery and posterior communicating artery.

Axial T1 MR image at the level of the basal ganglia and thalamus.

Reference ¹

Reference

1. Thieme Atlas of Anatomy, Head and Neuroanatomy, 2010