MCAT Brain & Movement: Motor Cortex, Basal Ganglia, Cerebellum & Parkinson’s 🧠
MCAT Brain & Movement: Motor Cortex, Basal Ganglia, Cerebellum & Parkinson’s 🧠  
Podcast: Jack Westin MCAT Podcast
Published On: Tue Jan 20 2026
Description: In this episode of the Jack Westin MCAT Podcast, Mike and Molly continue their MCAT brain anatomy series by tackling one of the most underrated topics on the exam: how the brain actually makes you move.If you’ve ever thought “why are there so many brain parts just for movement?” this episode is your roadmap.You’ll learn:🧠 Motor cortex basics – where voluntary movement starts and why it lives in the frontal lobe🚦 Basal ganglia as the gatekeeper – suppression vs initiation of movement, not just “on/off”💊 Dopamine & Parkinson’s – substantia nigra, why dopamine loss causes bradykinesia, and why L-Dopa (not dopamine) works🎭 Huntington’s disease – when the problem isn’t too little movement, but too much🎯 Cerebellum & coordination – balance, smooth movements, and why alcohol messes it up🔁 How these brain regions connect to motor neurons, muscle contraction, and earlier muscle episodes📚 MCAT-style takeaways – what the test actually expects you to recognize in passages and questionsYou’ll also hear:How to think about initiation → coordination → execution of movement in a simple, testable wayHow to use real life (walking, writing, sports, feeling off-balance, being sleepy) as built-in “flashcards” for MCAT physics, bio, and psych/socIf motor cortex vs basal ganglia vs cerebellum all blur together for you, this episode will finally separate them in your head.Want to learn more? Shoot us a text at 415-855-4435 or email us at podcast@jackwestin.com! 📱📌 Free Academic Advising: https://calendly.com/academic-advising-4/jack-westin-academic-advising?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast💻 Try our Chrome Extension (video solutions to every AAMC passage) https://tinyurl.com/4jw5pad8📚 Free Resources: https://jackwestin.com?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast🎓 Live Education Sessions: https://jackwestin.com/sessions?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast👨🏻‍🏫 Courses: https://jackwestin.com/courses?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast🙋 Tutoring: https://jackwestin.com/services/live-online-mcat-tutoring?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast📸 Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackwestinmcat?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast👥 Join our Facebook Study Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemcatprep?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=podcast