Question

Parkinson disease involves the destruction of the substantia nigra and the nigrostriatal pathway. Where are these structures anatomically

Answer 1

Substantia Nigra is a Part Of Basal ganglia located in Mid-brain. It's Main Function is to Control Movement.It Has two Parts pars compacta and pars Reticulata. Pars Compacta has dopaminergic neurons which supplies the straitum via the Nigostrial tract whereas Pars Reticulata has Input Neurons from various parts of Brain.

The nigrostriatal pathway is a bilateral dopaminergic pathway in the brain that connects the substantia nigra pars compacta with the dorsal striatum (i.e., the caudate nucleus and putamen) in the forebrain.

It is one of the four major dopamine pathways in the brain, and is critical in the production of movement as part of a system called the basal ganglia motor loop.