FIGURE 11-12 Basal Ganglia Connections The caudate putamen in the basal ganglia connects to the amygdala through the tail of the caudate nucleus. The lateral see-through view shows the basal ganglia relative to surrounding structures, including the substantia nigra, with which it shares reciprocal connections. The basal ganglia receive input from most regions of the cortex and send input into the frontal lobes through the subthalamic nucleus.