Lewy Body

This is substantia nigra of the brain. You can see a hint of melanin in the neuron in the lower left. The upper right neuron contains a large pink protein sphere, a "Lewy Body". In the substantia nigra, this confirms the diagnosis of idiopathic parkinsonism. No one really knows how these curious structures relate to the disease, whether they cause it or are just a by-product.

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