NEUROPATHOLOGICAL STUDIES OF BRAIN-TISSUE IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

Postmortem neuropathological investigations in the last half decade pr ovide increasing evidence compatible with a neurodevelopmental defect in schizophrenia. Basic and clinical data support hypotheses suggestin g that disturbances in neurodevelopment in schizophrenia may involve t he cortical subplate and a theorized second trimester ''window of vuln erability''. The Focus of this paper is on (I) selected methodological issues involved in the collection, analyses and preservation of human postmortem brain tissue; (2) a review of evidence showing morphologic al defects particularly in prefrontal cortical regions of the schizoph renic brain; and (3) potential future research directions. (C) 1997 El sevier Science Ltd.