This book was originally published in 1983. Schizophrenic, paranoid, manic, depressive and autistic illnesses are amongst the most severe and disabling that affect mankind. Uncertainty still surrounds their origins but the term ‘functional psychoses’ which suggests an absence of knowledge about causation, had become out of date, as the title of this volume suggests. It gives an insightful and comprehensive account of the pathology, biochemistry, aetiology, diagnoses, epidemiology, treatment and prognosis of these conditions. The authors were internationally acknowledged experts in their fields and they all contributed to significant advances in knowledge.