Substantia nigra and Parkinson's disease



	Parkinson’s disease is a slowly progressive disorder that affects movement, muscle control, and balance. Part of the disease process develops as cells are destroyed in certain parts of the brain stem, particularly the crescent-shaped cell mass known as the substantia nigra. Nerve cells in the substantia nigra send out fibers to tissue located in both sides of the brain. There the cells release essential neurotransmitters that help control movement and coordination.

Review Date: 9/26/2011
Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. Health Solutions Editorial Team, Ebix, Inc.: David Zieve, MD, MHA, and David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Luc Jasmin, MD, PhD, Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, and Department of Anatomy at UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (9/26/2011).

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