Locus Niger (Noun)
Meaning
A layer of deeply pigmented grey matter in the midbrain; associated with the striate body; is involved in metabolic disturbances associated with Parkinson's disease and with Huntington's disease.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Examples
- Researchers have been studying the locus niger in patients with Parkinson's disease to understand the root cause of motor impairments.
- Dysfunction in the locus niger is a common denominator among various neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's and Parkinson's.
- Damage to the locus niger in patients with Alzheimer's has also been reported to correlate with symptoms such as confusion and dementia.
- Loss of neurons in the locus niger region can affect metabolic rates in people suffering from severe movement disorders.
- MRI scans show marked deterioration in the locus niger region in brains affected by atypical parkinsonism, shedding new light on underlying neuropathological processes.