Part of the human brain, the basal forebrain structures are located in the forebrain to the front of and below the striatum. They include the ventral basal ganglia (including nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum), nucleus basalis, diagonal band of Broca, substantia innominata, and the medial septal nucleus. These structures are important in the production of acetylcholine, which is then distributed widely throughout the brain. The basal forebrain is considered to be the major cholinergic output of the central nervous system (CNS) centred on the output of the nucleus basalis.[1] The presence of non-cholinergic neurons projecting to the cortex have been found to act with the cholinergic neurons to dynamically modulate activity in the cortex.[2]
Function
Acetylcholine is known to promote wakefulness in the basal forebrain. Stimulating the basal forebrain gives rise to acetylcholine release, which induces wakefulness and REM sleep, whereas inhibition of acetylcholine release in the basal forebrain by adenosine causes slow wave sleep. The nucleus basalis is the main neuromodulator of the basal forebrain and gives widespread cholinergic projections to the neocortex.[3][1] The nucleus basalis is an essential part of the neuromodulatory system that controls behaviour by regulating arousal and attention.[1] The nucleus basalis is also seen to be a critical node in the memory circuit.[4]
The importance of non-cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain structures has been shown in working together with the cholinergic neurons in a dynamically modulatory way. This is seen to play a significant role in cognitive functions.[2]
Nitric oxide production in the basal forebrain is both necessary and sufficient to produce sleep.[5]
Clinical significance
Acetylcholine affects the ability of brain cells to transmit information to one another, and also encourages neuronal plasticity, or learning. Thus, damage to the basal forebrain can reduce the amount of acetylcholine in the brain and impair learning. This may be one reason why basal forebrain damage can result in memory impairments such as amnesia and confabulation. One common cause of basal forebrain damage is an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery.[6]
^ abGratwicke, J; Kahan, J; Zrinzo, L; Hariz, M; Limousin, P; Foltynie, T; Jahanshahi, M (December 2013). "The nucleus basalis of Meynert: a new target for deep brain stimulation in dementia?". Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 37 (10 Pt 2): 2676–88. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.09.003. PMID24035740. S2CID31426719.
Basal Basal ganglia Basal (phylogenetics) Basal-cell carcinoma Basal body Basal ganglia disease Basal sliding Basal angiosperms Basal Eurasian Basal body temperature Basal, Attock Basal forebrain Basal metabolic rate Primate basal ganglia Basal cell Basal lamina Basal plate Basal dendrite Basal vein Nevoid basal-cell carcinoma syndrome Basal shoot Basal Junction railway station Basal West African Biotin-thiamine-responsive basal ganglia disease Basal rate Golra Sharif–Basal Branch Line Basal reader Basal area Prefrontal cortex basal ganglia working memory Basal, Hungary Airway basal cell BAS…
E jumping Stratum basale Base Base-richness R:Base Negative base Golden ratio base Basal-like carcinoma Basal plate (placenta) Ice shelf basal channels Base pair Acid–base reaction Everest base camps Basal plate (neural tube) On-base percentage Inquiry-based learning Abnormal basal metabolic rate Borrowing base Turn-based strategy Knowledge-based systems Location-based game Naval Base Milne Bay Basal cell adenoma Prototype-based programming Turn-based tactics Base address Naval Base Brisbane Base on balls Naval Base Ulithi Conjugate (acid-base theory) Identity-based encryption Place-based education Faith-based Acid–base homeostasis Object-based language Evidence-based medicine Base of skull Evidence-based education Evidence-based policy Naval Base Noumea Base station Nucleus basalis Phenomenon-based learning Identity-based cryptography Installed base Evidence-based scheduling Asset-based lending Risopatrón Base Horodok Air Base Base Realignment and Closure Cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical loop Air base Ace of Base Seismic base isolation Base runs Political base SI base unit Esperanza Base List of basal eudicot families Stolen base Base excess List of films based on actua
