Deep within the brain, there is a special area called the basal ganglia. It is like the command centre for coordinating voluntary movements, helping learn new skills, form habits, process rewards, and regulate important functions of both the body and the mind.
If something goes wrong with the basal ganglia, it can cause movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease. It can also lead to mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. These disruptions can affect the way one moves and thinks, significantly impacting the daily life.
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This incredible neural hotspot performs these functions with the help of a brigade: corpus striatum, subthalamic nucleus and the substantia nigra.
The below infographic unlocks the superpowers of basal ganglia.
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