Functions of the Cortico-Basal Ganglia Loop, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1995

In this volume, which is based on the proceedings of the international symposium "Functional Linkages Between the Cerebral Cortex and Basal Ganglia in the Control of Voluntary Movement", held December 1993 in Osaka, Japan, the world's leading neuroscientists present the most up-to-date findings of current research on cortico-basal ganglia relations. Topics addressed in this book include the structure and function of basal ganglia cells and systems, the organization of thalamo-cortical systems, the frontal cortex, and clinical applications of ongoing studies. Of particular interest is the analysis of models of motor learning and functional schemes of cortico-basal ganglia and striatal circuitry. The valuable new insights this interdisciplinary work provides will benefit researchers and students in fields such as neurobiology, behavioral neurophysiology, neurochemistry, and neuropharmacology.

1. Basal ganglia (Systems Organization).- Role of basal ganglia in sensory motor association learning.- Procedural learning in the monkey.- The primate basal ganglia between the intention and outcome of action.- 2. Basal ganglia (Cellular Organization).- Corticostriatal neurons of the medial agranular cortex of rats.- Local circuit neurons in the frontal cortex and the neostriatum.- Long-term changes of corticostriatal synaptic transmission: possible implication for motor memory.- 3. Basal ganglia (Thalamo-cortical systems).- Basal ganglia ‘loops’ with the cerebral cortex.- Synaptic organization of the ventral lateral thalamus and the reticular nucleus in the cerebello-thalamo-cortical system.- Pallidal output circuits in the thalamus.- 4. Frontal cortex.- Neuronal activity in the supplementary, presupplementary, and premotor cortex of monkey.- The role of dopamine in frontal motor cortical functions of monkeys.- 5. Clinical perspectives and future directions.- Activity of the pallidal neurons related to voluntary and involuntary movements in humans.- Mechanisms of bradykinesia -- disturbances in sensorimotor processing.