Striatum

Part of the basal ganglia of the brain. The basal ganglia are interconnected masses of gray matter located in the interior regions of the cerebral hemispheres and in the upper part of the brainstem. The striatum is also called the striate body. It includes the caudate nucleus and the lentiform nucleus. The term striatum (striate) refers to the layered appearance of bands of gray matter that course from one of these nuclei to the other and represent the connections between them.

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Collective name for the caudate nucleus and putamen which together with the globus pallidus or pallidum form the striate body. SYN: neostriatum. [L. neut. of striatus, furrowed]

- dorsal s. [TA] those portions of the caudate nucleus and especially the putamen located generally dorsal to a plane representing the anterior commissure; also called the dorsal basal ganglia; may function in motor activities with cognitive origins. SYN: s. dorsale [TA].

- s. dorsale [TA] SYN: dorsal s..

- ventral s. [TA] those portions of the s. located generally ventral to a plane representing the anterior commissure; includes the nucleus accumbens and some nuclei of the olfactory tubercle; may function in motor activities with emotional or motivational origins. SYN: s. ventrale [TA].

- s. ventrale [TA] SYN: ventral s..

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stri·a·tum strī-'āt-əm n, pl stri·a·ta -'āt-ə

1) CORPUS STRIATUM

2) NEOSTRIATUM

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stri·a·tum (stri-aґtəm) [L., neuter of striatus striped] 1. striped, or grooved. 2. corpus striatum. neostriatum.