Dopamine and NMDA Receptors in Basal Ganglia Circuits and Their Roles regarding Motor Control and Learning

Dopamine (DA) plays an important role in the basal ganglia (BG) for motor control, and DA deficiency as seen in Parkinson's disease, causes movement disorders. DA activates the direct pathway nerve via the D1 receptor (D1R) and inhibits the indirect pathway nerve via the D2 receptor (D2R). To understand the role of DA signaling, we review recent studies of the roles of D1R and D2R with respect to motor control, neural activity and memory learning using genetically engineered mice, and investigate their involvement in the BG oscillation phenomenon.