Nucleus · one in each half of the brain

Caudate nucleus

Also called Caudate

A C-shaped nucleus with a long tail that helps you learn, plan and chase goals.

The caudate nucleus lit up in a 3D model of the human brain

The caudate nucleus is part of the striatum, the main entrance of the basal ganglia. It has a big head at the front and a long, curved tail that arcs backward, like a letter C. It listens mostly to the thinking parts of the frontal lobe and helps with goal-directed learning, planning and linking actions to results. It also helps decide where to point your eyes.

Where it is

Deep in each half of the brain, hugging the wall of the lateral ventricle (a fluid-filled space). Its head is at the front and its tail curls back and down into the temporal lobe.

What it does

Goal-directed learning

It helps you learn which actions lead to which outcomes, so you can choose the one most likely to pay off.

Thinking loops

It forms loops with the prefrontal cortex that support planning, switching tasks and keeping a goal in mind.

Guiding the eyes

It helps decide where to look next, and it keeps track of where rewards are likely to be.

Checking feedback

It becomes active when you find out how a choice turned out, helping you notice what worked and what did not.

Think of it as a coach on the sidelines who notices which plays win points and keeps updating the playbook.

Works with

PutamenIts partner in the striatum, partly split from it by a thick band of nerve fibers, the internal capsule.
Prefrontal cortexSends it plans and goals, and gets help back with planning and flexible thinking.
Substantia nigra pars compactaSends dopamine that marks which choices were rewarding.
Lateral ventriclesIts whole length lines the wall of this fluid-filled space.
Globus pallidusReceives its output as the next step in the basal ganglia loop.
Medium spiny neuronMost of its nerve cells are this bushy, spine-covered type.

When it goes wrong

Huntington's disease

The caudate is one of the first areas to shrink. On scans, the nearby fluid space looks wider, and people develop jerky movements, mood changes and trouble planning.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Brain scans of people with OCD often show unusual activity in loops linking the caudate and frontal lobe, which may help explain hard-to-stop thoughts and rituals.

For learning only, not medical advice. If you have a health concern, talk to a doctor.

Surprising facts

The caudate and putamen together are called the striatum, meaning "striped body", because bands of white matter run through them and give them a striped look.
Its long tail curls all the way back and down into the temporal lobe, ending close to the amygdala.
Most of its nerve cells are medium spiny neurons, named for the tiny spines that cover their branches.

Where the name comes from

From Latin "cauda", meaning "tail". Caudate means "having a tail".

Learn it in a lesson

The basal gangliaChoosing which movement goes. A short guided lesson in 3D.

Quick quiz

3 questions. Your answers are saved and come back in your daily review.

Which of these is a job of the caudate nucleus?
Show the answer
Goal-directed learning. It helps you learn which actions lead to which outcomes, so you can choose the one most likely to pay off.
The caudate nucleus is part of which larger structure?
Show the answer
Basal ganglia. It belongs to the basal ganglia.
Which part fits this description? "Like a coach on the sidelines who notices which plays win points and keeps updating the playbook."
Show the answer
Caudate nucleus. It is the caudate nucleus. A C-shaped nucleus with a long tail that helps you learn, plan and chase goals.

Sources

Neuroanatomy, Nucleus Caudate, StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf
Projections to the Basal Ganglia, Neuroscience (Purves et al.), NCBI Bookshelf
Huntington disease, Radiopaedia

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