title: Age and Parkinson's disease-related neuronal death in the substantia nigra pars compacta.
abstract: During aging, decline in memory and cognitive abilities as well as motor weakening is of great concern. The dopaminergic system mediates some aspects of manual dexterity, in addition to cognition and emotion, and may be especially vulnerable to aging. A common neurodegenerative disorder of this system, Parkinson's disease, is characterized by a selective, progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. This review includes studies quantifying age and Parkinson's-related changes of the substantia nigra, with emphasis on stereological studies performed in the substantia nigra pars compacta.
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Copenhagen, Denmark. forsklab@bbh.hosp.dk
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eriksen
authors.forename: Anette Kirstine
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pakkenberg
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology*; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051844:alpha-Synuclein; D004298:Dopamine