Dopamine system disorders ranging from movement disorders to addiction and schizophrenia involve striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs), yet their functional connectivity has been difficult to determine comprehensively. We generated a mouse with conditional channelrhodopsin-2 expression restricted to medium spiny neurons and assessed the specificity and strength of their intrinsic connections in ...

Three neuropeptides, enkephalin, dynorphin, and substance P appear in the globus pallidus in a unique pattern termed woolly fibers as described previously [Haber and Nauta (1983) Neuroscience 9, 245-260]. The comparative distribution of these fibers are described in the human globus pallidus and basal forebrain area. The results show two main points: The human globus pallidus is a larger, more ...

Pallidotomy was performed in a parkinsonian patient with off-period foot dystonia. Dystonia appeared at the beginning of surgery and disappeared after the first microelectrode penetration of the globus pallidus, perhaps a micropallidotomy effect. Neuronal recording during dystonia revealed that the mean firing rates were low in both the internal and external segments of the globus pallidus, and...

The anatomical organization of the basal forebrain cholinergic system with emphasis on the basal magnocellular nucleus, was studied by means of the choline acetyltransferase immunohistochemistry. The basal forebrain cholinergic system extends from the medial septum to the caudal part of the globus pallidus, and is organized as a continuous valley of cholinergic neurons. The arrangement of choli...

Stage I. Stereotaxic radiological localization of the globus pallidus. The position of the globus pallidus is calculated from radiographs taken after lumbar air encephalography. For this procedure the patient is placed in the sitting position. A graduated metal frame is secured to the head by three drills penetrating the outer plate of the skull. Air is injected into the ventricular system by l...