The Collaborative International Dictionary
Putamen \Pu*ta"men\, n. [L.] (Bot.) The shell of a nut; the stone of a drupe fruit. See Endocarp.
Wiktionary
n. (context anatomy English) A round structure located at the base of the forebrain, regulating movement and learning.
WordNet
n. the outer reddish part of the lenticular nucleus
[also: putamina (pl)]
Wikipedia
The putamen is a round structure located at the base of the forebrain ( telencephalon). The putamen and caudate nucleus together form the dorsal striatum. It is also one of the structures that comprises the basal ganglia. Through various pathways, the putamen is connected to the substantia nigra and globus pallidus. The main function of the putamen is to regulate movements and influence various types of learning. It employs GABA, acetylcholine, and enkephalin to perform its functions. The putamen also plays a role in degenerative neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease.
Usage examples of "putamen".
Other experiments have shown that activity in the area of the brain known as the amygdala is associated with the experience of fear, that the decisions of individual monkeys in certain games could be predicted by the firing patterns of individual neurons in the orbitofrontal-striatal circuits of the brain, that neurotransmitters known as propranolol and serotonin affect decision-making, and that the ventral putamen within the striatum is activated when people experience pleasure.