Driscoll Margaret E., Bollu Pradeep C., Tadi Prasanna
Creighton University School of Medicine
University of Missouri
The caudate nucleus (CN; plural “caudate nuclei”) is a paired, “C”-shaped subcortical structure which lies deep inside the brain near the thalamus. It plays a critical role in various higher neurological functions. Each caudate nucleus is composed of a large anterior head, a body, and a thin tail that wraps anteriorly such that the caudate nucleus head and tail can be visible in the same coronal cut. When combined with the putamen, the pair is referred to as the striatum and is often considered jointly in function. The striatum is the major input source for the basal ganglia, which also includes the globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus, and substantia nigra. These deep brain structures together largely control voluntary skeletal movement. The caudate nucleus functions not only in planning the execution of movement, but also in learning, memory, reward, motivation, emotion, and romantic interaction. Input to the caudate nucleus travels from the cortex, mostly the ipsilateral frontal lobe. Efferent projections from the caudate nucleus travel to the hippocampus, globus pallidus, and thalamus. Research has implicated caudate nucleus dysfunction in several pathologies, including Huntington and Parkinson disease, various forms of dementia, ADHD, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia.
尾状核（CN；复数形式为“caudate nuclei”）是一对呈“C”形的皮质下结构，位于脑深部靠近丘脑处。它在多种高级神经功能中发挥关键作用。每个尾状核由一个大的前端头部、一个主体和一条细长的尾部组成，尾部向前环绕，使得在同一冠状切面上可以看到尾状核的头部和尾部。当与壳核结合时，这一对结构被称为纹状体，并且在功能上常被共同考虑。纹状体是基底神经节的主要输入源，基底神经节还包括苍白球、丘脑底核和黑质。这些脑深部结构共同在很大程度上控制随意性骨骼肌运动。尾状核不仅在运动执行的计划中起作用，还在学习、记忆、奖赏、动机、情感和浪漫互动中发挥作用。传入尾状核的神经冲动来自皮质，主要是同侧额叶。从尾状核发出的传出投射到达海马体、苍白球和丘脑。研究表明，尾状核功能障碍与多种病症有关，包括亨廷顿病和帕金森病、各种形式的痴呆、注意力缺陷多动障碍、双相情感障碍、强迫症和精神分裂症。
