English: Photomicrograph of substantia nigra in a Parkinson's patient showing loss of dopaminergic cells as well as Lewy body and Lewy neurite pathology. Top left panel shows a 2-times magnification of the substantia nigra at the level of ventral midbrain. The top right and bottom left panels show Lewy neurites and rounded Lewy bodies (arrows) at two magnifications. The bottom right panel shows a 60x magnification of dopaminergic cells which are pigmented due to their neuromelanin content.

Legend: A - Substantia nigra (pars compacta), B - neuromelanin laden cells which have dwindled in number in this Parkinson's pateint, C - Red nucleus, D - Cerebral peduncles.

Stains used : Luxol fast blue and Crystal violet (top left); mouse monoclonal alpha-synuclein antibody, counterstained with Mayer's haematoxylin (the remaining three)