Neuropsychiatry of the basal ganglia
- 1Academic Department of Psychiatry, St Bartholomew's and the Royal London School of Medicine, Whitechapel Road, London E1 1BB, UK
- 2Raymond Way Neuropsychiatry Research Group, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Correspondence to: Dr H Ring, Academic Department of Psychiatry, St Bartholomew's and the Royal London School of Medicine, Whitechapel Road, London E1 1BB, UK
- Received 12 January 2001
- Accepted 27 June 2001
- Revised 30 May 2001
Abstract
This review aims to relate recent findings describing the role and neural connectivity of the basal ganglia to the clinical neuropsychiatry of basal ganglia movement disorders and to the role of basal ganglia disturbances in “psychiatric”' states. Articles relating to the relevant topics were initially collected through MEDLINE and papers relating to the clinical conditions discussed were also reviewed. The anatomy and connections of the basal ganglia indicate that these structures are important links between parts of the brain that have classically been considered to be related to emotional functioning and brain regions previously considered to have largely motor functions. The basal ganglia have a role in the development and integration of psychomotor behaviours, involving motor functions, memory and attentional mechanisms, and reward processes.
- PD, Parkinson's disease
- SSRIs, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors
- ECT, electroconvulsive therapy
- HD, Huntington's disease
- PSP, progressive supranuclear palsy
- WD, Wilson's disease
- FD, Fahr's disease
- GTS, Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome
- OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder
- ADHD, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity
