Chemical neuroanatomy of the basal ganglia — normal and in Parkinson's disease

This synopsis clearly shows that the investigations eventually resulting in the development of the new concept about the functional neurotransmitter organisation of the basal ganglia represents an important achievement in neuroscience research. This concept combines knowledge gained from studies on the neurophysiology, the functional neuroanatomy and the chemical brain topography, both in laboratory experiments and in normal and diseased human brain. The insights into the functioning of the human brain gained from biochemical-neuroanatomical studies in patients dying with neurological disorders, especially PD, confirm the old medical adage that 'pathology is the greatest teacher of function'.