cortical-striatal pathway

The cortical-striatal pathway is a neural connection between the cerebral cortex (the brain's outer layer responsible for thinking, decision-making, and planning) and the striatum (a deep brain structure involved in movement and reward processing). This pathway allows the cortex to send signals to the striatum, which then influences actions, habits, and learning. It plays a key role in coordinating voluntary movements and enabling adaptive behaviors by integrating cognitive information with motor functions. Proper functioning of this pathway is essential for smooth movement control and decision-making, and disruptions are linked to conditions like Parkinson's disease and OCD.