title: [Methodology of post-mortem research. Apropos of setting-up a data bank for studying the biology of depression].
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.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011180:Postmortem Changes
vernacular_title: Méthodologie de la recherche en post mortem. A propos de la constitution d'une banque de données pour l'étude de la biologie de la dépression.