Editing Putamen (section)

===Dopamine===
The putamen is part of the nigrostriatal pathway. The Substantia nigra pars compacta, a structure in the brainstem that contains dopaminergic neurons, releases dopamine to the dorsal striatum, which consists of the putamen and caudate nucleus. This dopamine release is highly important for motor control, involving mechanisms for movement promotion (via the Direct Pathway), as well as mechanisms for movement inhibition (via the Indirect Pathway). Striatal neurons expressing D1 type dopaminergic receptors are involved in the Direct Pathway, whereas D2 type dopaminergic receptors are expressed in striatal neurons of the Indirect Pathway. <ref>Young CB, Reddy V, Sonne J. Neuroanatomy, basal ganglia. InStatPearls [Internet] 2023 Jul 24. StatPearls Publishing.</ref><ref>Sonne J, Reddy V, Beato MR. Neuroanatomy, substantia nigra. InStatPearls [Internet] 2024 Sep 10. StatPearls Publishing.</ref>

In order to control the amount of dopamine in the [[synaptic cleft]], and the amount of dopamine binding to [[post synaptic terminals]], presynaptic dopaminergic neurons function to [[reuptake]] the excess dopamine. 

The dopaminergic release to the putamen and caudate might be implicated in addictive behaviour as this release seems to play an important role in habit learning. <ref>Pereira FC, Viana S, Mendes P, Ali SF, Ribeiro CF. CAUDATE-PUTAMEN: DOPAMINE HOMEOSTASIS AND ASTROCYTE ACTIVATION IN METHAMPHETAMINE ABUSE.</ref>