Stereological studies of the schizophrenic brain

Stereological studies have contributed with important results to the unders tanding of brain abnormalities in schizophrenia. The data obtained from ste reological studies of brains from schizophrenic patients, including studies of the thalamus, hippocampus, and cortex, are discussed and suggest a cent ral role of the thalamic nuclei in the etiology of the: disease. The basic stereological tools are presented and possible biases in quantification stu dies are discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.