Your Black and Blue Brain Regions and the Story They Tell About Brain Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are the two most common diseases that affect people’s brains and nerves worldwide. You might have a family member, friend, or neighbor who received one of these diagnoses and may have seen how the disease has made their life more challenging. The diseases are different from each other. Alzheimer’s primarily causes loss of memory and thinking skills, while Parkinson’s decreases control over body movements. However, they share two unexpected similarities. First, they begin with the death of brain cells in tiny, specialized brain regions that produce chemicals that help coordinate thoughts and behaviors. Second, in both brain regions, the damage to these cells begins many years before people show any disease symptoms—even 20 years earlier or more! For scientists working to detect and prevent brain diseases and communities trying to keep themselves healthy, it is critical to understand how these brain regions change in disease.