Schizophrenia: is the potato the environmental culprit?

The pathology and aetiology of schizophrenia are reviewed in the light of the most recent research into the genetic/sporadic occurrence of this disease complex of world-wide distribution but of variable incidence. Although the aetiology is still unknown, numerous hypotheses have been postulated including dietetic factors but never has the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) been suspected. However, a strong case can be advanced incriminating this widely, in fact almost universally, consumed vegetable tuber with its variable content of steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) with known toxic action on both animals and humans, including possible teratogenic and cell membrane-damaging properties, as a very likely aetiological contender in most but possibly not all cases.