Sensorimotor contributions of the basal ganglia: recent advances

In the last decade, a great deal of research has been aimed at ascertaining the manner in which the basal ganglia (BG) contribute to the control of movement. The formation of workable hypotheses, however, has been limited by the great variety of putative roles reported in the literature. Reported functions have often been in direct conflict. Recent developments, however, provide new perspectives from which to view seemingly discordant functions. Data reviewed in this article suggest a distinct anatomical topography within the BG, allowing for highly specialized subfunctions. In parallel, BG cellular activity has been found primarily in association with specific sensory and task-related dimensions relevant to particular movements. The multiple sensorimotor contributions of the BG therefore are not contradictory, but represent BG contributions within different functional contexts. These multiple roles of the BG offer particular clinical insights.