Latest

striatum

·February 24, 2026·7 min read

Dopamine Signals Astrocytes to Sculpt the Brain

Neurons write the draft, but astrocytes edit the circuit. Scientists discover how star-shaped brain cells use dopamine signals to prune synapses and master new motor skills.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 19, 2025·6 min read

Brain’s “Hourglass Timer” Controls the Precise Timing of Movement

Researchers have discovered how the brain keeps time for precise movements, revealing a neural “hourglass” mechanism between the motor cortex and striatum. The motor cortex sends timing signals that accumulate in the striatum until they reach a threshold that triggers action.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 27, 2025·5 min read

Research Rewrites Striatum’s Role in Action and Movement

A new study challenges the long-held belief that the striatum is responsible for selecting actions. Researchers found that instead of making decisions, the striatum and motor cortex work together to specify movement details, such as how to reach for an object.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 2, 2024·4 min read

Study Reveals Dopamine’s Limited Role in Rapid Neural Activity

A recent study has found that dopamine signals have a minimal impact on rapid neural activity in the striatum, challenging existing theories about dopamine's role in brain signaling. Using advanced optical neural chip technology, researchers observed that dopamine signals within normal physiological ranges do not significantly affect neural processing.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 30, 2023·4 min read

Brain Waves: Acetylcholine and Dopamine’s Synchronized Dance in Striatum

Researchers unveiled a groundbreaking discovery in brain chemistry. They identified wave-like patterns of the neurochemical acetylcholine in the striatum, a region vital for motivating actions.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 12, 2023·5 min read

The Brain’s Support Cells May Play a Key Role in OCD

A newly discovered cellular mechanism that involves astrocytes, as well as neurons, appears to be involved in repetitive behaviors and OCD.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·February 21, 2023·4 min read

Brain Circuit Involved in Fentanyl Abuse and Relapse Identified

Fentanyl enhances direct pathway medium spiny neurons activity in the striatum. During withdrawal from the opioid, inhibitory signals from direct pathway medium spiny neurons to dopaminergic neurons become enhanced. The enhanced suppression of dopaminergic neurons contributes to the negative emotions associated with fentanyl withdrawal. Inhibiting the direct pathway medium spiny neurons can reduce withdrawal symptoms and associated anxiety behaviors.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 7, 2023·5 min read

Differences in Dopamine Signals in Patients With History of Alcohol Use Disorder

The connection between dopamine and counterfactual information, or notions of relief and regret, is altered in those with alcohol use disorder.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·January 20, 2023·6 min read

How Huntington’s Disease Affects Different Neurons

Researchers have identified how two different populations of neurons in the striatum are affected differently in Huntington's disease. The neurodegeneration of one of these populations leads to motor defects while damage to the other population located in striosomes may account for mood disorders associated with the early stages of Huntington's.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 30, 2022·4 min read

A Crucial Role of Brain’s Striatum Cilia in Time Perception

Destruction or removal of the cilia in the striatum impairs time perception and judgment, new research suggests. The findings could have implications for a range of diseases including schizophrenia, ASD, and Parkinson's.

This shows a model of a head and a brain

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·August 25, 2022·4 min read

Investigating the Role of Dopamine Circuits in Habit Formation

Dopamine neurons connect subregions of the striatum that contribute to habit formation. The findings shed new light on how habits are formed, and how they can be broken.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 18, 2022·7 min read

Observing Memory Formation in Real Time

Study reveals how motor memories are formed and how they remain persistent. The findings may help illuminate the root cause of motor disorders like Parkinson's disease.

1 2 3 … 15

striatum

Dopamine Signals Astrocytes to Sculpt the Brain

Brain’s “Hourglass Timer” Controls the Precise Timing of Movement

Research Rewrites Striatum’s Role in Action and Movement

Study Reveals Dopamine’s Limited Role in Rapid Neural Activity

Brain Waves: Acetylcholine and Dopamine’s Synchronized Dance in Striatum

The Brain’s Support Cells May Play a Key Role in OCD

Brain Circuit Involved in Fentanyl Abuse and Relapse Identified

Differences in Dopamine Signals in Patients With History of Alcohol Use Disorder

How Huntington’s Disease Affects Different Neurons

A Crucial Role of Brain’s Striatum Cilia in Time Perception

Investigating the Role of Dopamine Circuits in Habit Formation

Observing Memory Formation in Real Time

Molecular Chain Reaction Behind Autism Identified

Psychedelics Remodel Myelin to Heal PTSD

Parkinson’s Protein Turbocharges Alzheimer’s in Women

Epilepsy Mutations Leave Potassium Channels Stranded

Subscribe