The caudate nucleus is a telencephalic nucleus, one of the input nuclei of the basal ganglia; involved with control of voluntary movement in the brain.

There is a caudate nucleus on each side of the brain, each a C-shaped structure with a wider head at the front, tapering to a body and a tail.

The head and body of the caudate nucleus form the part of the floor of the anterior horn of the lateral ventricle. After the body travels briefly towards the back of the head, the tail curves back anteriorly, forming the roof of the inferior horn of the lateral ventricle. This means that a coronal (on the same plane as the face) section that cuts through the tail, will also cross the body (or head) of the caudate nucleus.

The caudate nucleus is related anatomically to a number of other structures. It is separated from the lenticular nucleus (a structure which includes the putamen) by the internal capsule. Together these structures form the striate body.