Parcellation of the striatal complex into dorsal and ventral districts

Significance The striatum of the basal ganglia is divided into dorsal and ventral regions. The dorsal striatum regulates movement and cognition, whereas the ventral striatum modulates reward and emotion. The importance of striatal divisions also is reflected in neurological diseases as the dorsal and ventral striata are differentially targeted by Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and drug addiction disorders. Despite the significance of these neurological differences, the neural mechanisms underlying the division of the striatum into the dorsal and ventral districts remain elusive. Here, we have identified two key genes Nolz-1 and Dlx1/2 , and the interactions between Nolz-1 and Dlx1/2 genes are critical for the developmental processes by which the striatum is divided into dorsal and ventral districts.