# The Role of Opponent Basal Ganglia Outputs in Behavior

> **NIH NIH R01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $347,813

## Abstract

The basal ganglia (BG) are a collection of subcortical nuclei critical for voluntary behavior.
Dysfunctions in the BG circuit are found in many disorders, such as Parkinson's disease
Huntington's disease, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and addiction. A better understanding of
the mechanisms is critical for therapeutic developments for these disorders. Despite significant
progress in our understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the BG, their contributions to
voluntary behavior remain poorly understood. This proposal aims to determine how BG outputs
initiate actions. Preliminary results showed a critical role of the BG circuits in controlling
movement kinematics: striatal output reflects movement velocity, which is integrated by the
substantia nigra pars reticulata to generate instantaneous position commands to downstream
structures in the midbrain and diencephalon, nigrostriatal dopaminergic signaling, on the other
hand, modulates the rate of transitions between body configurations, i.e., movement
velocity. Thus single unit activity in the BG can be used to quantitatively predict the actual
trajectory of any voluntary movement. This proposal aims to elucidate the computational
functions of specific components of the BG circuit, and how this circuit can be recruited in
motivated behavior directed towards rewards. An integrative approach will be employed,
combining 1) a novel motion tracking program that provides unprecedented quantitative data on
movement parameters in freely moving mice; 2) wireless in vivo recording from many single
neurons in the BG during behavior; 3) optogenetic manipulation of defined BG neuronal
populations. These tools will be used to determine the neural code used by the BG circuits in
controlling voluntary behavior, and shed light on how rewards and motivational states can
modulate behavioral vigor.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9830080
- **Project number:** 5R01NS094754-04
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Henry Yin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $347,813
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-02-01 → 2021-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9830080

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9830080, The Role of Opponent Basal Ganglia Outputs in Behavior (5R01NS094754-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9830080. Licensed CC0.

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