The function of the basal ganglia
The basal ganglia, which we first met in Chapter 3, has been around since the tetrapods, but its function has always been a bit of a mystery. One school of thought thinks that the basal ganglia is for motor control; we described the role of the basal ganglia as similar to a DAW sequencer in chapter 5. Another school of thought consider the basal ganglia as involved in learning. New research shows the basal ganglia as shaping behavioral selection, affecting both learning and behavior, which results in patters of motor function. Here's the article: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-05-neuroscientists-long-held-theory-neural-pathways.html, and here's the research: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627323003021
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