Understanding the molecular basis of schizophrenia is essential for disease management, and several molecular biology tools have been employed for this purpose. Mass spectrometry, which is used mostly in proteomic and metabolomic studies, is one such tool. Here, we present the first psychiatric study to use mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) with desorption electrospray ionization (DESI). Preparation of samples for use with DESI-MSI is remarkably simple and quick and preserves the spatial distribution of analytes. By using this tool, we found differences in the phospholipid content in schizophrenia postmortem brains. These results validate both the role of phospholipids in schizophrenia and the value of this MS tool in furthering the understanding of the molecular aspects of the disease. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.