A collection of subcortical nuclei including the caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus, the basal ganglia orchestrate movement, habit formation, and procedural learning. Beyond motor control, they participate in reward processing, decision-making, and action selection, integrating cortical input to guide behavior efficiently. Dysfunction in these circuits underlies conditions like Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, illustrating the basal ganglia’s critical role in linking intention, action, and reinforcement.