The current model of basal ganglia organization has been developed progressively over the last two decades in the light of key observations made at both experimental and clinical levels. This model has been highly successful in that it has stimulated a large amount of research in the field. However, several experimental and clinical findings that are at odds with the model have accumulated during the last: decade. This paper reviews some of our own single-axon tracing studies in primates, which call for a re-evaluation of the current basal ganglia model. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.