Mossbauer studies of Parkinsonian and control Substantia Nigra (SN) show that the overall amount of iron in SN is about the same in PD and control. At least 90% of this iron is ferritin-like and Fe2+ and/or neuromelanin iron, if present at all, can constitute only less than 10% of the overall iron. During storage in formalin, iron is slowly removed from ferritin and bound to a chelating agent.