The Substantia nigra reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Substantia nigra

The substantia nigra (Latin for "black substance") is a portion of the midbrain in which dopamine is produced. Damage to the substantia nigra, whether from age related changes, viral infection (the "sleepy sickness" of the 1920s described in Oliver Sacks' book Awakenings), or toxins such as MPTP (a mis-manufactured synthetic heroin), results in Parkinsonism

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