Organ
Caudate nucleus
Curved striatal nucleus beside the lateral ventricle
High-yield
Caudate plus putamen forms the dorsal striatum; putamen plus globus pallidus forms the lentiform nucleus. The internal capsule lies between much of caudate and putamen, crossed by connecting gray-matter bridges.
Overview
The caudate follows the curved shape of the lateral ventricle. Its enlarged head borders the frontal horn, its body extends backward, and its tail turns into the temporal lobe toward the amygdala. Together with putamen, it forms the dorsal striatum.
Reference facts
- Location
- Deep cerebral gray matter following the lateral ventricle; the head lies medial to the anterior limb of the internal capsule
- Parts
- Head, body and tail; the head joins the ventral putamen through gray matter
- Blood supply
- Recurrent artery of Heubner from the anterior cerebral artery, middle cerebral lenticulostriate branches, and anterior choroidal contributions to the tail
- Relations
- The anterior internal capsule separates much of the head from putamen; the tail courses in the roof of the temporal horn toward the amygdala
- Function
- Processes cortical information in basal ganglia circuits involved in movement selection, learning, reward and cognitive control
Clinical correlation
Huntington disease damages striatal neurons and often causes prominent caudate atrophy. Loss of tissue beside the frontal horns can make those ventricular spaces appear enlarged; this imaging feature supports the clinical assessment but is not a diagnosis by itself.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the caudate nucleus located?
Deep cerebral gray matter following the lateral ventricle; the head lies medial to the anterior limb of the internal capsule.
What does the caudate nucleus do?
Processes cortical information in basal ganglia circuits involved in movement selection, learning, reward and cognitive control.
What are the parts of the caudate nucleus?
Head, body and tail; the head joins the ventral putamen through gray matter.
What is the blood supply of the caudate nucleus?
Recurrent artery of Heubner from the anterior cerebral artery, middle cerebral lenticulostriate branches, and anterior choroidal contributions to the tail.