Timely and appropriate motor inhibition is essential for daily life. Response inhibition (RI) is a crucial component of the brain's inhibitory control functions, which can be categorized into reactive and proactive inhibition. Classic paradigms, such as the Go/No-Go and Stop-signal tasks, are primary methods for investigating the mechanisms of response inhibition. The frontal lobe-basal ganglia circuit plays a central role in regulating response inhibition, in which the hyper-direct pathway in the basal ganglia mediates reactive inhibition, exerting immediate and global effects, whereas the indirect pathways mediate proactive inhibition, exerting slower and more selective effects. Lesions to this neural circuit often result in motor control deficits, which are closely associated with clinical symptoms such as impulsivity, tics, and freezing. The review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current research on the neural circuits involved in response inhibition, with particular emphasis on the role of the basal ganglia, potentially offering novel insights for symptom control and further investigation into clinically relevant diseases.