a layer of grey matter in the brain that produces dopamine and contains pigmented nerve cells, loss of which has been associated with Parkinson's disease
Word origin
C20: from Latin, literally: dark material
substantia nigra in American English
(səbˈstænʃiə ˈnaɪgrə)
Word forms: pluralsubstantiae nigrae (səbˈstænʃiˌi ˈnaɪgri) or substantia nigras
a layer of dark cells in the midbrain that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine: Parkinson's disease is caused by an inadequate supply of dopamine