ABSTRACT
An abundance of new research techniques and findings have removed postmortem schizophrenia research from ‘the graveyard of neuropathology’ (Plum, 1972). Advances in neuroimaging that have allowed for in vivo pathophysiology as well as newer techniques in neuropathology such as immunocytochemistry, autoradiography, computerized neuronal morphometrics, and in situ hybridization have fueled this revitalization. However, despite these advances, many studies suffer from critical methodological deficiencies, some of which could easily be corrected. Moreover, there are few consistent thematic approaches to this disorder. To date, there have been numerous findings in postmortem schizophrenia research, but few have been replicated. The goal of this chapter is to review the pitfalls of postmortem schizophrenia research, and offer a guide towards well-constructed research protocols employing the advanced techniques now available.
