| Abstract: | Investigation of post mortem neurobiochemical changes is an important field in biological psychiatry which allows analyses of the analogies between peripherical markers and the central neurochemical processes they represent. Our study discusses the pathological neuroanatomy (collection and conservation of the anatomical specimens) and clinical criteria (selection of an evaluation and diagnostic scale, analysis of results of retrospective clinical interviews: "the psychological autopsy"). We also discuss the many methodological issues which arise in interpretations of these correlations. We wish to encourage others to apply a standardized methodology to these scientific studies of post mortem neurochemical parameters and retrospective clinical diagnosis. |
