Basal ganglia is a collective term in neuroscience referring to a group of subcortical nuclei in the vertebrate brain that constitute a major system for investigating motor control, procedural learning, and motivated behavior. This academic concept encompasses research into the complex anatomical connectivity, physiological function, and computational roles of these interconnected structures and their reciprocal pathways with the cortex and thalamus, particularly their significance in understanding and treating neurological and psychiatric disorders.