A Theory of the Striatum

The striatum has been implicated in a number of neutological and psychiatric diseases. It has received considerable attention from pharmacologists, neuroanatomists, neuropathologists, and electrophysiologists. However, until now no comprehensive theory of the striatum has emerged. This book is a serious attempt at such a theory. The first part is concerned with an analysis of evidence from anatomical, behavioural, clinical and pharmacological studies of the stratum. After a brief introduction to the methods of theoretical neuroscience, the experimental evidence on the role of the striatum in behaviour and learning is reviewed by an analysis of the evidence on the internal connectivity of the striatum, and the input and output organization. This first part ends with a review of synaptic modification as the basis of learning. The second part is devoted to formalising the model developed in the previous chapters. Computer simulation is used to study the short-term dynamic behaviour of the model, and the long-term structural evolution during learning. Finally the ideas developed through literature review and computer simulation are applies to the question of the contribution of the striatum to the operation of cell assembles in the cerebral cortex