“Basal Ganglia: The Neurobiology of Habits”

“Basal Ganglia: The Neurobiology of Habits”
– the third lecture in the course “The Limbic System and Beyond: The Neurobiology of Emotions and Feelings”

Why is it often so hard to take the first step, but easier after that?
How does the brain learn dances, songs, everyday habits — and even patterns of thinking and emotional response?
In this lecture, we’ll explore the basal ganglia — subcortical structures responsible for habit formation — and discuss one of the brain’s most elegant mechanisms for processing information.