substantia nigra [pars] compacta(Latin)

• a key component of the ventral midbrain dopaminergic cell groups. Two other major components of this region include the medially located ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the more caudal retrorubral field (RRF). Made up predominantly of large densely packed dopaminergic neurons that form a clearly distinguishable structure in humans because of their high content in neuromelanin, a byproduct of dopamine autooxidation. The content in neuromelanin is age-dependent, increasing significantly until about 60 year old, and then gradually declining due to the progressive loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. It has been suggested that the accumulation of neuromelanin and other byproducts of dopamine oxidation may contribute to the loss of these neurons in Parkinson’s disease
• DAT, GABA, PD, RRF, VTA
• Neurons, Brain (dys)function, Parkinson
• https://doi.org…74105-9.00288-4