Organ
Putamen
A striatal region involved in movement and learned behavior
High-yield
Deep perforating arteries supply the putamen. It is a common site of hypertension-associated intracerebral hemorrhage, but a putaminal bleed does not by itself establish hypertension as the cause.
Overview
The putamen forms the lateral part of the lentiform nucleus; globus pallidus lies medial to it. With the caudate it makes up the dorsal striatum. Cortical and other inputs reach different putaminal regions, with a strong sensorimotor emphasis posteriorly and more associative connections anteriorly.
Reference facts
- Location
- Deep to the insula and lateral to globus pallidus, with the internal capsule farther medially.
- Parts
- Lateral component of the lentiform nucleus and part of the dorsal striatum, connected with caudate tissue around and across the internal capsule.
- Blood supply
- Lenticulostriate branches, mainly from MCA with medial/ACA contributions and individual variation.
- Relations
- Moving laterally toward insula encounters external capsule, claustrum and extreme capsule. Pallidal tissue and internal-capsular pathways lie medially.
- Function
- Participates in selecting and regulating actions and learning motor habits, alongside associative and motivational functions of striatal circuits.
Clinical correlation
A hemorrhage here can extend into or compress the nearby internal capsule, producing substantial opposite-sided weakness. The deficits depend on the volume of bleeding and which adjacent pathways are affected.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the putamen located?
Deep to the insula and lateral to globus pallidus, with the internal capsule farther medially.
What does the putamen do?
Participates in selecting and regulating actions and learning motor habits, alongside associative and motivational functions of striatal circuits.
What are the parts of the putamen?
Lateral component of the lentiform nucleus and part of the dorsal striatum, connected with caudate tissue around and across the internal capsule.
What is the blood supply of the putamen?
The putamen is supplied by the lenticulostriate branches, mainly from MCA with medial/ACA contributions and individual variation.