School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Manchester
The Basal Ganglia and Cognitive Control
In our daily life we have to maintain a balance between automatic and controlled behaviour in order to optimize cognitive resources and behaviour, achieve goals and/or simply carry on with our habitual tasks. Cognitive control processes are essential to the success of flexible behaviour. These control processes enable adjustability when habitual behaviour is no longer suitable due to changes in the environment. This critical feature that allows us to oscillate between habitual and controlled behaviour must rely on the accurate coordination and communication of different brain regions. In this talk I will present evidence that demonstrates the critical role of the basal ganglia and cortico-striatal systems in overriding habitual but currently incompatible behaviour, and in engaging the most appropriate response given actual relevant information.
