Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Hierarchy of Motor Control01:18

Hierarchy of Motor Control

2.9K
The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.
2.9K
Brainstem01:19

Brainstem

2.2K
The brainstem, located inferior to the brain and superior to the spinal cord, serves as a bridge between the cerebrum and the spinal cord. It plays a vital role in relaying information and controlling critical life functions. It comprises three primary regions: the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.
The Midbrain
The midbrain is located beneath the diencephalon and connects the cerebrum with the lower parts of the brain. The cerebral peduncles are prominent midbrain structures that house the...
2.2K
Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay01:27

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

1.7K
The thalamus, often called “the gateway to the cerebral cortex,” is vital in processing and directing sensory and motor signals throughout the brain. Almost all inputs destined for the cerebral cortex, except for olfactory signals, are relayed through the thalamus. The thalamus is  a sophisticated relay station, channeling information from various brain regions to the cerebral cortex, as well as a filter, prioritizing certain signals over others based on current physiological...
1.7K
Direct Motor Pathways01:11

Direct Motor Pathways

2.1K
The direct motor pathways, also known as the pyramidal tracts, are a group of neural pathways that originate in the brain and descend through the spinal cord. They control the voluntary movement of the body. There are two major direct motor pathways: the corticospinal and the corticobulbar tracts.
The corticospinal tract is responsible for the voluntary movement of the limbs and trunk. It originates in the cerebral cortex of the brain and descends through the cerebrum's internal capsule and...
2.1K
Indirect Motor Pathways01:22

Indirect Motor Pathways

1.6K
The indirect motor or extrapyramidal pathways originate in the brainstem, the lower portion of the brain that connects it to the spinal cord. They consist of several distinct tracts, each with specialized functions. The four main tracts of the indirect motor pathways are the vestibulospinal tract, the reticulospinal tract, the tectospinal tract, and the rubrospinal tract.
The vestibulospinal tract originates in the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem. The vestibular system detects changes in...
1.6K
Neural Regulation01:37

Neural Regulation

39.5K
Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
39.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Motor cortex directly excites the substantia nigra pars reticulata, the basal ganglia output nucleus.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Synaptic integration and competition in the substantia nigra pars reticulata-An experimental and in silico analysis.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

Mouse and human striatal projection neurons compared - somatodendritic arbor, spines and in silico analyses.

PLoS computational biology·2025
Same author

Cholinergic modulation enables scalable action selection learning in a computational model of the striatum.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

Presynaptic and postsynaptic determinants of claustro-cortical connectivity.

Current biology : CB·2025
Same author

Cellular and synaptic properties of molecularly defined neurons in the external globus pallidus.

iScience·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2025

In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior
07:52

In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior

Published on: November 22, 2021

3.4K

The Basal Ganglia Downstream Control of Action - An Evolutionarily Conserved Strategy.

Johanna Frost-Nylén1, William Scott Thompson1, Brita Robertson1

  • 1Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

Current Neuropharmacology
|August 11, 2023
PubMed
Summary

The basal ganglia and motor cortex select actions through intertwined mechanisms. This review details how basal ganglia control motor centers, with conserved organization across vertebrates for behavior selection.

Keywords:
Evolutionbasal gangliacorticostriataldorsolateral striatummotor centersstriatonigral.substantia nigra pars reticulata

More Related Videos

Real-Time Proxy-Control of Re-Parameterized Peripheral Signals using a Close-Loop Interface
11:54

Real-Time Proxy-Control of Re-Parameterized Peripheral Signals using a Close-Loop Interface

Published on: May 8, 2021

4.4K
Isolation and Cultivation of Neural Progenitors Followed by Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation of Histone 3 Lysine 79 Dimethylation Mark
10:09

Isolation and Cultivation of Neural Progenitors Followed by Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation of Histone 3 Lysine 79 Dimethylation Mark

Published on: January 26, 2018

7.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 19, 2025

In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior
07:52

In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior

Published on: November 22, 2021

3.4K
Real-Time Proxy-Control of Re-Parameterized Peripheral Signals using a Close-Loop Interface
11:54

Real-Time Proxy-Control of Re-Parameterized Peripheral Signals using a Close-Loop Interface

Published on: May 8, 2021

4.4K
Isolation and Cultivation of Neural Progenitors Followed by Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation of Histone 3 Lysine 79 Dimethylation Mark
10:09

Isolation and Cultivation of Neural Progenitors Followed by Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation of Histone 3 Lysine 79 Dimethylation Mark

Published on: January 26, 2018

7.5K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Motor cortex and basal ganglia are crucial for selecting motor actions.
  • Their functions are intricately linked in motor control.
  • Understanding basal ganglia mechanisms is key to deciphering action selection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review basal ganglia mechanisms for behavior selection.
  • To explore downstream control of motor centers in the midbrain and brainstem.
  • To highlight the evolutionary conservation of the forebrain motor system.

Main Methods:

  • Review of basal ganglia output pathways, including substantia nigra pars reticulata.
  • Analysis of cortical influence via the dorsolateral striatum (putamen).
  • Examination of striatal projection neurons and lateral inhibition mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Basal ganglia output neurons (GABAergic) tonically inhibit motor centers.
  • Motor cortex influences action selection via striatal modules (forelimb, hindlimb, trunk).
  • Striatal projection neurons modulate basal ganglia output and downstream motor centers.

Conclusions:

  • The basal ganglia's role in motor control is evolutionarily conserved in vertebrates.
  • Action selection involves complex interactions between cortical and basal ganglia pathways.
  • Efference copy via the thalamus is vital for future motor planning.