Recently, it has been proposed that similar to goal-directed and habitual action mediated by the fronto-striatal circuits, the fronto-striato-subthalamic-pallidal-thalamo-cortical network may also mediate goal-directed and habitual (automatic) inhibition in both the motor and non-motor domains. Within this framework, some of the clinical manifestations of Parkinson's disease, dystonia, Tourette syndrome and obsessive–compulsive disorder can be considered to represent an imbalance between goal-directed and habitual action and inhibition. It is possible that surgical interventions targeting the basal ganglia nuclei, such as deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus or the internal segment of the globus pallidus, improve these disorders by restoring a functional balance between facilitation and inhibition in the fronto-striatal networks. These proposals require investigation in future studies. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Movement suppression: brain mechanisms for stopping and stillness’.