Every time you stand up, take a step or reach for your phone, your brain is working hard behind the scenes. You don’t need to think about how to move your arms when you walk. You don’t tell your fingers how tightly to hold a cup. Your body moves by itself.
Deep inside your brain is a powerful system called the basal ganglia. This system helps your movements feel smooth, steady and automatic. When it works well, you don’t even notice it. But if it doesn’t work right, even simple tasks can be frustrating.
We talked with Anthony Mosley, MD, a neurologist with Banner Sun Health Research Institute, to learn more about the basal ganglia and how they affect your movements.
What are the basal ganglia?
“The basal ganglia are a group of deep brain cells (neurons) located in the front part of the brain," Dr. Mosley said. “They sit primarily beneath the frontal lobe but extend into areas where the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes meet, as well as parts of the midbrain.”
Instead of being one single structure, the basal ganglia are made up of several connected parts that work together. The basal ganglia include several key parts:
- Caudate nucleus: Helps plan and organize movement
- Putamen: Works with the caudate to control voluntary movements
- Globus pallidus: Regulates the intensity of movements, like a volume button
- Subthalamic nucleus: Helps fine tune motion and prevent unwanted movements
- Substantia nigra: Produces dopamine, a chemical messenger essential for smooth movement
The basal ganglia act as your brain movement control center. They help you start and stop moving and make your movements smooth.
Besides controlling movement, they also affect habits, motivation, feelings of reward and emotions. That's why some movement problems can also cause anxiety, depression and personality changes, not just physical issues.
How the basal ganglia controls movement
Your brain constantly sends signals to your muscles. Without control, these signals could become chaotic. The basal ganglia help organize and refine these messages so movements feel smooth and controlled.
They act like a movement filter
The basal ganglia are your brain’s movement manager. They don’t directly tell your muscles what to do. Instead, they help decide:
- When to start a movement
- How big or strong the movement should be
- When to stop
“The basal ganglia mostly work as a braking (inhibitory) system,” Dr. Mosley said. “They help control signals from the brain's motor areas so that your movements are smooth and controlled.”
Think of the basal ganglia as a filter. They allow the movements to move you forward while suppressing unwanted ones. This helps prevent shaky or jerky motions.
They work closely with dopamine
The basal ganglia rely heavily on dopamine, a chemical messenger in the brain.
“Dopamine mainly helps slow down activity in parts of the basal ganglia to make voluntary movements smooth," said Dr. Mosley.
When dopamine levels are normal, walking is easy, arms swing naturally and facial expressions appear normal.
If dopamine levels drop or get blocked, movement might slow down or become stiff. If dopamine signals get unbalanced in other ways, extra movements may happen.
Dopamine also influences motivation and reward, which explains why mood changes can happen along with movement problems.
They help automate routines
Walking, typing and brushing your teeth feel automatic because of complex brain circuits working together. Dr. Mosley explains that walking and other automatic actions depend on circuits in the spinal cord, brainstem, cerebellum, basal ganglia and motor cortex constantly communicating with each other to control these actions without your conscious thought.
This teamwork helps you move without having to think about each step. If part of this circuit is damaged, movements that used to be automatic might take effort.
How the basal ganglia are involved in common conditions
If the basal ganglia become damaged or unbalanced, it can cause two main movement problems.
“It might lead to too much movement, like in tardive dyskinesia and Huntington’s disease, or to problems where movements are involuntary, slow or small, such as in Parkinson’s disease,” Dr. Mosley said.
Tardive dyskinesia
Tardive dyskinesia can happen after long-term use of dopamine-blocking medications, such as antipsychotics or anti-nausea drugs. Over time, this can cause repeated, involuntary movements such as:
- Lip smacking
- Tongue movements
- Facial grimacing
- Rapid blinking
Other movement disorders, including dystonia and Tourette syndrome, also involve changes in how the basal ganglia regulate movement.
Huntington disease
Huntington’s disease is an inherited condition that damages nerve cells, including those in the basal ganglia. This reduces the brain's ability to control movements. Because of this, involuntary movements happen more often and are harder to stop.
“Instead of slowing down movement, Huntington's disease often causes excessive, uncontrolled motions called chorea,” Dr. Mosley said. “These can look like jerking, twisting or sudden movements that the person cannot control.”
Parkinson disease
In Parkinson’s disease, brain cells that make dopamine slowly die.
“Without enough dopamine, the basal ganglia become overactive,” Dr. Mosley said. “They send too much ‘stop’ signal to the motor system. When this happens, movement becomes harder.”
This leads to symptoms such as:
- Resting tremor
- Slowed movements
- Muscle stiffness
- Balance problems
You might notice it takes longer to button a shirt. Your handwriting may get smaller. Walking may feel stiff or shuffling. Learn more about the unexpected signs of Parkinson’s disease.
Can the basal ganglia heal?
This is a common question.
“We know that adult brain cells have a very limited ability to regenerate through a process called neuroregenesis,” Dr. Mosley said. "But we haven't seen much proof of strong growth in damaged basal ganglia tissue.”
Scientists are working on ways to help the brain grow new cells (regenerate). They are also testing stem cell therapies in clinical trials. For now, most treatments focus on controlling symptoms and improving quality of life.
When should you talk to a health care provider?
You should speak with a provider if you notice:
- A tremor that does not go away
- Increasing stiffness
- Slower or smaller movements
- Uncontrolled jerking or repetitive movements
- Balance changes
- Mood changes along with movement symptoms
Many movement disorders respond best when treated early. Even if symptoms are mild, getting checked can bring peace of mind. Your provider may refer you to a neurologist for further evaluation.
Bottom line
The basal ganglia are parts of your brain that help control movement. They help with starting and stopping movements, keeping you balanced and making everyday tasks smooth.
When this part of the brain gets damaged or isn’t working properly, it can cause noticeable changes in movement. The earlier you notice symptoms, the sooner you can get help.
If you are worried about tremors, stiffness, uncontrolled movements or balance issues, talk to your provider or a Banner Health specialist. You don’t have to face movement changes alone.
