Final answer:
The basal ganglia at rest result in inhibition of the thalamus through the indirect pathway, leading to less motor activity. The direct pathway has the opposite effect, causing disinhibition of the thalamus and excitation of the cerebral cortex which initiates movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The final output of the basal ganglia at rest is primarily the inhibition of the thalamus. In the direct pathway, the striatum receives excitatory input from the cerebral cortex and sends inhibitory signals to the globus pallidus internal segment (GPi) and the substantia nigra pars reticulata (GPI/SNr), which in turn inhibits the thalamus resulting in disinhibition, or less inhibition, of the thalamus. Consequently, the thalamus is allowed to excite the cerebral cortex, leading to the initiation of movement. Conversely, the indirect pathway results in increased inhibition of the thalamus through its additional connections involving the globus pallidus external segment (GPe) to the subthalamic nucleus (STN) to GPi/SNr, ultimately resulting in decreased excitation of the cerebral cortex and less motor activity.