Basal ganglia
Updates to Article Attributes
The basal ganglia (singular: ganglion) are a group of grey matter nuclei in the deep aspects of the brain that is interconnected with the cerebral cortex, thalami and brainstem.
In a strict anatomical sense, it contains three paired nuclei that together comprise the corpus striatum:
Functionally, two additional nuclei are also part of the basal ganglia:
Radiographic features
The basal ganglia are normally isodense/isointense to the cortex. Because the globus pallidus has more myelin content compared with the putamen, it usually appears slightly more hypointense on T2WI, GRE, and SWI images. Age-related calcium deposition in the globus pallidus initially results in increased T1 signal intensity and subsequently, when calcification exceeds 40%, signal loss in all sequences. Ageing with consequent iron deposition in the putamen results in a gradual decrease of T2/T2*/SWI signal intensity in the putamen. This is more pronounced in the 8th or 9th decade of life.
Related pathology
- basal ganglia calcification
- Parkinson disease
- Huntington disease
- Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome
- central pontine myelinolysis
- gliomatosis cerebri
- cerebral microhaemorrhage
See also
-<p>The <strong>basal ganglia</strong> are a group of <a href="/articles/grey-matter">grey matter</a> nuclei in the deep aspects of the <a href="/articles/brain">brain</a> that is interconnected with the <a href="/articles/cerebral-cortex">cerebral cortex</a>, <a href="/articles/thalamus">thalami</a> and <a href="/articles/brainstem">brainstem</a>.</p><p>In a strict anatomical sense, it contains three paired nuclei that together comprise the <a href="/articles/corpus-striatum">corpus striatum</a>:</p><ul>- +<p>The <strong>basal ganglia</strong> (singular: ganglion) are a group of <a href="/articles/grey-matter">grey matter</a> nuclei in the deep aspects of the <a href="/articles/brain">brain</a> that is interconnected with the <a href="/articles/cerebral-cortex">cerebral cortex</a>, <a href="/articles/thalamus">thalami</a> and <a href="/articles/brainstem">brainstem</a>.</p><p>In a strict anatomical sense, it contains three paired nuclei that together comprise the <a href="/articles/corpus-striatum">corpus striatum</a>:</p><ul>