Deep in the brain, where shadows lie,
The basal ganglia work and fly.
A network vast, unseen but strong,
Guiding movements all day long.
The caudate nucleus, slim and wise,
Keeps the rhythm, tracks the skies.
The putamen, pulsing, firm and fast,
Holds our motions, steady, vast.
The globus pallidus, two in one,
Balances light and shadows spun.
Its segments, inner, outer reign,
Refining actions in the brain.
The subthalamic nucleus small,
Bridges pathways, guiding all.
A helper in this intricate dance,
Giving our steps a second chance.
The substantia nigra dark in hue,
Brings dopamine to all it knew.
In this circle, loops entwine,
Feedback perfect, actions fine.
From cortex to thalamus flows,
A river of signals, to and fro.
Yet if this system breaks its sway,
Movement falters, slips away.
Parkinson's may cloud the mind,
Huntington's sharp, cruel unwind.
Dystonia’s twist, the body aches,
When the basal ganglia shakes.
But in its grace, when all is right,
We walk, we talk, we dance, take flight.
