Corticostriatal projections are essential components of forebrain circuits and are widely
involved in motivated behaviour. These axonal projections are formed by two distinct …

The basal ganglia are a chain of subcortical nuclei that facilitate action selection. Two striatal
projection systems—so-called direct and indirect pathways—form the functional backbone of …

This Perspective will examine the organization of intrastriatal circuitry, review recent findings
in this area, and discuss how the pattern of connectivity between striatal neurons might give …

Correlated spiking is often observed in cortical circuits, but its functional role is controversial.
It is believed that correlations are a consequence of shared inputs between nearby neurons …

Joshua D. Berke* § and Steven E. Hyman*†‡* Section on Molecular Plasticity National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke locomotor activity. Psychostimulants also tend …

The basal ganglia are a group of subcortical nuclei involved in a variety of processes
including motor, cognitive and mnemonic functions. One of their major roles is to integrate …

The striatum represents the main input into the basal ganglia. Neurons projecting from the
striatum receive a large convergence of afferents from all areas of the cortex and transmit …

Positive reinforcement helps to control the acquisition of learned behaviours. Here we report
a cellular mechanism in the brain that may underlie the behavioural effects of positive …

Although opioids are highly effective for the treatment of pain, they are also known to be
intensely addictive. There has been a massive research investment in the development of …

The basal ganglia occupy the core of the forebrain and consist of evolutionarily conserved
motor nuclei that form recurrent circuits critical for motivation and motor planning. The …