substantia nigra

noun

: a layer of deeply pigmented gray matter situated in the midbrain and containing the cell bodies of a tract of dopamine-producing nerve cells whose secretion tends to be deficient in Parkinson's disease

Examples of substantia nigra in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Another transcript indicates that Syngenta attempted to downplay studies showing that paraquat administered to mice caused a reduction in the number of dopamine cells in the substantia nigra, the part of the brain that produces dopamine, which is another hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2023 The disease is characterized by a sharp loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra, a structure in the lower brain. IEEE Spectrum, 11 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, literally, black substance

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of substantia nigra was in 1809

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Cite this Entry

“Substantia nigra.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substantia%20nigra. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Medical Definition

: a layer of deeply pigmented gray matter situated in the midbrain and containing the cell bodies of a tract of dopamine-producing nerve cells whose secretion tends to be deficient in Parkinson's disease

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