Definition
The “putamen” (botanical term for the stony core of a fruit like the peach) is a nucleus located deep within the brain, forming a part of the basal ganglia.
Nomenclature
Striatum/neostriatum = caudate nucleus (nucleus caudatus) + putamen
Lentiform nucleus = putamen + globus pallidus
Corpus striatum (dorsal division) = caudate nucleus + putamen + globus pallidus
Current Knowledge
Anatomy
The putamen surrounds the globus pallidus superolaterally. Anatomically, along with the globus pallidus, it forms the lentiform nucleus. Functionally, along with the caudate nucleus, it belongs to the neostriatum. Thin bundles of axons called Wilson’s pencils course the putamen as if radiating from the globus pallidus, giving it a striated appearance. The putamen is nourished by lenticulostriate arteries (penetrating branches of anterior and middle cerebral arteries).
Relations
Lateral – external capsule, claustrum, extreme capsule, insular cortex.
Medial – a sheet of myelinated nerve fibers...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References and Readings
Barr, M., & Kiernan, J. (1983). The human nervous system – An anatomical viewpoint (4th ed.). Philadelphia: Harper & Row.
Delgado, M. R., Nystrom, L. E., Fissell, C., Noll, D. C., & Fiez, J. A. (2000). Tracking the hemodynamic responses to reward and punishment in the striatum. Journal of Neurophysiology, 84, 3072–3077.
Gray’s Anatomy. (1995). (38th ed.). Pearson Professional Limited. Henry Gray: USA.
McKim, T. H., Shnitko, T. A., Robinson, D. L., & Boettiger, C. A. (2016). Translational research on habit and alcohol. Current Addiction Reports, 3(1), 37–49. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-016-0089-8.
Natsheh, J. Y., & Shiflett, M. W. (2015). The effects of methylphenidate on goal-directed behavior in a rat model of ADHD. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 9, 326. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00326.
Seger, C. A. (2008). How do the basal ganglia contribute to categorization? Their roles in generalization, response selection, and learning via feedback. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 32(2), 265–278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2007.07.010.
Tricomi, E., Balleine, B. W., & O’Doherty, J. P. (2009). A specific role for posterior dorsolateral striatum in human habit learning. The European Journal of Neuroscience, 29(11), 2225–2232. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.06796.x.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this entry
Cite this entry
Dobryakova, E., Shroff, S. (2018). Putamen. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_355
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_355
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-57110-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-57111-9
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences