[New findings on the morphology and motor function of basal ganglia]

This paper presents results of new investigations on morphology and motor function of basal ganglia, which point to the fact that their dimensions are individual and not correlated with the dimension of the corresponding hemisphere. Basal ganglia motor function is studied on the basis of disturbances which occur if they are damaged, both in sick people and experimental animals. Analysis of recorded single-neuron activity, in animals and in patients undergoing special surgical procedures, is especially instructive for understanding this function. According to new insights there are at least five multiple neuronal regions: motor, oculomotor, limbic, dorsolateral prefrontal and lateral orbitofrontal region. Morphologic and functional studies partly disagree in interpreting connections among these regions. On the basis of functional studies it is considered that parallelism and functional separation exist, while on the basis of morphologic studies it is considered that at the level of basal ganglia output convergence occurs. New insights speak about parallelism and convergence at the same time. It is thought that inside basal ganglia motor region there are two divided systems, direct and indirect, which direct the output impulses towards talamus. The direct leads to facilitation of cortically started movements, and the indirect to suppression of unwanted motor behavior. On the basis of literature data we can conclude that basal ganglia support cortically generated movements, participate in sequential movements, suppress unwanted motor activity and in altered circumstances stop the course of started motor sequences allowing new, adequate motor activity.