-Plays a role in the conversion of plans for movement (the go or no go)

-Major Structures: caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus

-Afferents (inputs): thalamus (excitatory), substantia nigra (dopamine), association of the motor cortex, raphe nucleus (serotonergic)

-Efferents (output): substantia nigra, motor cortex via thalamus

-Activates the thalamus which talksa to the motor cortex which sends command cells down the PTN

-Uses a neurotransmitter (inhibitory GABA):  The striatum inhibits the globus palladus which is normally inhibiting the thalamus.  So, inhibition of inhibition causes excitation.

-Increases the likelihood of movement

Parkinson's Disease: lesion of the substantia nigra results in low dopamine levels, this causes a resting tremor and bradykinesia

Huntington's Disease: genetic defect of GABA neurons, chorea: flick like movements, can't stop or start movements

-"little brain" sits on on top of brain- connected to the brain, the brain stem, and the spinal cord

-major structures: cortex and nuclei

-Input: brain stem specific info (climbing fibers) and info from multiple places/diffuse info (mossy fibers)

-Output: purkinje cells are inhibitory to motor centers via the cerebellar nuclei (except the vestibular nuclei)

-"Ballistic movements"- rate, range, force, and direction of movement

-Responsible for smooth muscular movement

-Correlation of posture and movement to maintain balance and equilibrium

Past pointing: asynergy

Intension temor

Hypotonus

-staging center where movement programs initiated in other areas converge

-Transmits motor programs via the pyramidal tract to the spinal cord

-The Homunculus: somatotopic organization- hands and face have larger regions

-Major structures: primary motor cortex, supplemental motor area, pre-motor area, and frontal eye fields

-Afferents: many sources including the thalamus, cerebellum, corpus callosum, and basal ganglia

-Efferents: pyramidal pathways and extrapyramidal pathways

-A stroke, decreases blood supply to the staging area- so there is contralateral paralysis

-Jacksonian seizure: seizure activity begins with the fingers on one hand, spreads to the hands, arms, and eventually the whole body- this is due to the homunculus