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. 2020 Mar 9;9(1):25–41. doi: 10.1007/s40120-020-00181-9

Table 4.

STN and GPi functional connections

Input Output
Afferents Neurotransmitter STN area involved Efferents Neurotransmitter
STN Globus pallidus pars externa GABA

Dorsolateral (motor area)

Ventromedial (limbic area)

Globus pallidus pars interna Glutamate

Primary motor cortex

Supplementary motor area

Premotor cortex

Glutamate Dorsolateral (motor area) Substantia nigra pars reticulata Glutamate

Prefrontal cortex

Prelimbic-medial orbital areas

Glutamate Ventromedial (limbic area)
Thalamus (parafascicular and centromedian nuclei) Glutamate

Dorsolateral (motor area)

Ventromedial (limbic area)

Input Output
Afferent area Neurotransmitter Efferent area Neurotransmitter
GPi Striatum (putamen and caudate) GABA Thalamus (ventroanterior and ventrolateral nuclei) GABA
Globus pallidus pars externa GABA Substantia nigra pars compacta GABA
Thalamus (intralaminar nucleus) Glutamate Lateral habenular nucleus GABA
STN Glutamate Pedunculopontine nucleus GABA
Pedunculopontine nucleus Glutamate and acetylcholine
Dorsal raphe nucleus Serotonin
Substantia nigra Dopamine

GABA gamma-aminobutyric acid, GPi globus pallidus pars interna, STN subthalamic nucleus