Basal ganglia

Changed by Craig Hacking, 30 Jan 2023
Disclosures - updated 30 Aug 2022:
  • Philips Australia, Paid speaker at Philips Spectral CT events (ongoing)

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

The basal ganglia 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:

Terminology

Whilst very widely used in English, the term 'basal ganglia' is actually a misnomer, as a ganglion is a collection of nerve cell bodies outside of the central nervous system. The equivalent within the central nervous system is termed 'nucleus', as reflected in the official term for the basal ganglia in the Terminologia Anatomica, 'nuclei basales', the English translation of which is 'basal nuclei'.

This is also illustrated by the name of each individual basal nucleus, e.g. caudate nucleus, lentiform nucleus, subthalamic nuclei, etc. 

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. AgingAgeing 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

 See also

  • -<li><a href="/articles/caudate-nucleus">caudate nucleus</a></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/caudate-nucleus">caudate nucleus</a></p></li>
  • -<a href="/articles/lentiform-nucleus">lentiform nucleus</a><ul>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/putamen">putamen</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/globus-pallidus">globus pallidus</a></li>
  • +<p><a href="/articles/lentiform-nucleus">lentiform nucleus</a></p>
  • +<ul>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/putamen">putamen</a></p></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/globus-pallidus">globus pallidus</a></p></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/subthalamic-nuclei">subthalamic nuclei</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/substantia-nigra">substantia nigra</a></li>
  • -</ul><h4>Terminology</h4><p>Whilst very widely used in English, the term 'basal ganglia' is actually a misnomer, as a ganglion is a collection of nerve cell bodies outside of the central nervous system. The equivalent within the central nervous system is termed 'nucleus', as reflected in the official term for the basal ganglia in the <a href="/articles/terminologia-anatomica-1">Terminologia Anatomica</a>, 'nuclei basales', the English translation of which is 'basal nuclei'. <br>This is also illustrated by the name of each individual basal nucleus, e.g. caudate nucleus, lentiform nucleus, subthalamic nuclei, etc. </p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><p>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. Aging 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 8<sup>th</sup> or 9<sup>th</sup> decade of life.</p><h4>Related pathology</h4><ul>
  • -<li>
  • -<a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-calcification">basal ganglia calcification</a> </li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/parkinson-disease-1">Parkinson disease</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/huntington-disease">Huntington disease</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/pantothenate-kinase-associated-neurodegeneration">Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/osmotic-demyelination-syndrome">central pontine myelinolysis</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/gliomatosis-cerebri">gliomatosis cerebri</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/cerebral-microhaemorrhage">cerebral microhaemorrhage</a></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/subthalamic-nuclei">subthalamic nuclei</a></p></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/substantia-nigra">substantia nigra</a></p></li>
  • +</ul><h4>Terminology</h4><p>Whilst very widely used in English, the term 'basal ganglia' is actually a misnomer, as a <a href="/articles/ganglion" title="Ganglion">ganglion</a> is a collection of nerve cell bodies outside of the <a href="/articles/central-nervous-system-1" title="Central nervous system">central nervous system</a>. The equivalent within the central nervous system is termed 'nucleus', as reflected in the official term for the basal ganglia in the <a href="/articles/terminologia-anatomica-1">Terminologia Anatomica</a>, 'nuclei basales', the English translation of which is 'basal nuclei'.</p><p>This is also illustrated by the name of each individual basal nucleus, e.g. caudate nucleus, lentiform nucleus, subthalamic nuclei, etc. </p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><p>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 8<sup>th</sup> or 9<sup>th</sup> decade of life.</p><h4>Related pathology</h4><ul>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-calcification">basal ganglia calcification</a> </p></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/parkinson-disease-1">Parkinson disease</a></p></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/huntington-disease">Huntington disease</a></p></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/pantothenate-kinase-associated-neurodegeneration">Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome</a></p></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/osmotic-demyelination-syndrome">central pontine myelinolysis</a></p></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/gliomatosis-cerebri">gliomatosis cerebri</a></p></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/cerebral-microhaemorrhage">cerebral microhaemorrhage</a></p></li>
  • -<a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-and-thalamus-signal-abnormalities">basal ganglia signal abnormalities</a><ul>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-t2-hyperintensity">increased T2 signal in the basal ganglia</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-t2-hypointensity">decreased T2 signal in the basal ganglia</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-t1-hyperintensity">increased T1 signal in the basal ganglia</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/decreased-t1-signal-in-the-basal-ganglia">decreased T1 signal in the basal ganglia</a></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-restricted-diffusion">restricted diffusion in the basal ganglia</a></li>
  • +<p><a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-and-thalamus-signal-abnormalities">basal ganglia signal abnormalities</a></p>
  • +<ul>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-t2-hyperintensity">increased T2 signal in the basal ganglia</a></p></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-t2-hypointensity">decreased T2 signal in the basal ganglia</a></p></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-t1-hyperintensity">increased T1 signal in the basal ganglia</a></p></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/decreased-t1-signal-in-the-basal-ganglia">decreased T1 signal in the basal ganglia</a></p></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-restricted-diffusion">restricted diffusion in the basal ganglia</a></p></li>
  • -<li><a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-calcification">basal ganglia calcification</a></li>
  • +<li><p><a href="/articles/basal-ganglia-calcification">basal ganglia calcification</a></p></li>

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