science 🧠 New atlas maps brain's nigrosomes in substantia nigra
A new neuroimaging atlas has been created to map the nigrosomes within the kidney-bean-sized substantia nigra. This atlas focuses on the SN, which is located in the midbrain, specifically between the NR and the ventro-lateral crus cerebri. The five neuron-dense nigrosomes show different degeneration patterns in Parkinson’s disease, with the largest, N1, being affected earliest. This mapping offers a key window into the dopaminergic system's functional importance. Further work is needed to validate this atlas across different MRI techniques.