substantia nigra
noun
sub·stan·tia ni·gra
səb-ˌstan(t)-shē-ə-ˈnī-grə 
-ˈni-
plural substantiae nigrae
səb-ˌstan(t)-chē-ˌē-ˈnī-(ˌ)grē
-ˈni-
: 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
An illustration of the human brain showing a shrunken substantia nigra, a degeneration that occurs with Parkinson’s disease.
—
Fernanda González, Wired News, 10 July 2025
In a healthy brain, communications are relayed back and forth between dopamine neurons in two regions of the brain known as the striatum and the substantia nigra.
—Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
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
Sad music, conversely, stimulated the substantia nigra, an important reward center in the brain that happy music didn't activate.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2016
Dopamine-making neurons were particularly badly hit, particularly those in an adjoining part of the brain called the substantia nigra.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2012
In seven patients, a fiber optic cable implanted in their brain will deliver pulses of near-infrared (NIR) light directly to the substantia nigra, a region deep in the brain that degenerates in Parkinson’s disease.
—Gunjan Sinha, Science | AAAS, 17 Sep. 2020
In humans, the substantia nigra is connected to parts of the brain that control our movements, and dopamine helps to control those motor circuits.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2012
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Fernanda González, Wired News, 10 July 2025
In a healthy brain, communications are relayed back and forth between dopamine neurons in two regions of the brain known as the striatum and the substantia nigra.
—Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
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
Sad music, conversely, stimulated the substantia nigra, an important reward center in the brain that happy music didn't activate.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2016
Dopamine-making neurons were particularly badly hit, particularly those in an adjoining part of the brain called the substantia nigra.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2012
In seven patients, a fiber optic cable implanted in their brain will deliver pulses of near-infrared (NIR) light directly to the substantia nigra, a region deep in the brain that degenerates in Parkinson’s disease.
—Gunjan Sinha, Science | AAAS, 17 Sep. 2020
In humans, the substantia nigra is connected to parts of the brain that control our movements, and dopamine helps to control those motor circuits.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2012
Cite this Entry
“Substantia nigra.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substantia%20nigra. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
substantia nigra
noun
sub·stan·tia ni·gra
səb-ˌstan-chē-ə-ˈnī-grə
-ˈnig-rə
-ˈnig-rə
plural substantiae nigrae
-chē-ˌē-ˈnī-(ˌ)grē
-ˈnig-(ˌ)rē
-ˈnig-(ˌ)rē
: 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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