2-Minute Neuroscience: Substantia Nigra

In my 2-Minute Neuroscience videos I explain neuroscience topics in 2 minutes or less. In this video I discuss the substantia nigra. I describe the two regions that make up the substantia nigra: the substantia nigra pars compacta and the substantia nigra pars reticulata. I discuss the role of the substantia nigra pars compacta in dopamine production and its contribution to the nigrostriatal pathway, one of the major dopamine pathways in the brain. I also briefly cover the role of the substantia nigra in movement and how this is disrupted by the neurodegeneration that occurs in Parkinson’s disease. TRANSCRIPT: Welcome to 2 minute neuroscience, where I simplistically explain neuroscience topics in 2 minutes or less. In this installment I will discuss the substantia nigra. The substantia nigra is a structure found in the brainstem that looks like a dark streak in unstained brain tissue. Its appearance is where it gets its name, as substantia nigra is Latin for “black substance.” There are t