The functional logic of corticostriatal connections

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Systems Neuroscience

Background:

• The cortico-basal ganglia (BG)-thalamocortical loop is crucial for action selection and behavioral repertoire refinement.
• Striosomes within the striatum register reward information, influencing corticostriatal plasticity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and define the 'disclosed loop' model for corticostriatal organization.
• To refine the operating rationale of the classic basal ganglia loop model by integrating new data.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual model development based on existing anatomical and physiological data.
• Analysis of corticostriatal input organization and its relation to basal ganglia circuitry.

Main Results:

• The 'disclosed loop' model posits a closed circuit open to cortical influence at the input stage.
• Operative inputs initiate action selection, while contextual inputs modulate this based on environment and priorities.
• This framework reconciles seemingly conflicting data within the classic basal ganglia loop model.

Conclusions:

• The disclosed loop model offers a refined understanding of basal ganglia function in action selection.
• It provides a functional context for studying striatal projection neuron (SPN) biophysics and synaptic plasticity.
• This model integrates diverse data, advancing the study of cortico-basal ganglia circuitry.