Neuroanatomy, Putamen

Excerpt

The putamen, combined with the globus pallidus, forms the lentiform nucleus. The caudate nucleus shapes the striatum, which is a subcortical structure that forms the basal ganglia (see Image. Putamen and Caudate Nucleus). The putamen is involved in learning and motor control, including speech articulation, language functions, reward, cognitive functioning, and addiction. Research has noted putaminal dysfunctions in various motor and cognitive dysfunctions, namely Parkinson disease, Huntington disease, Alzheimer disease, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Wilson disease, and autism.