HISTOPATHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE BRAIN IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

Abstract

I. INTRODUCTION INVESTIGATIONS into a possibly characteristic histopathology of the brain in schizophrenia and other so-called functional psychoses can be considered to have begun with the pioneer researches of Alzheimer and other German workers shortly before the close of the 19th century. In the five ensuing decades some of the ablest workers in psychiatry and neuropathology have concerned themselves with this important problem. In this paper it is my purpose to describe and scrutinize the reports concerning the histopathology of schizophrenia, to examine these reports in terms of their experimental and statistical validity, and to emphasize those findings which best stand the test of such scrutiny. It is perhaps unnecessary to remark that while this undertaking is approached with humility, it is not permissible to allow one's respect for the names of pioneer workers to dull the edge of critical evaluation of their work and their interpretations. With this in