Regulation of Arginine-vasopressin (AVP)

Inclusion criteria for healthy controls:

• Ages of 18-55 years from all ethnic backgrounds.
• Male or female.
• Smoker or nonsmoker.
• Written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria for healthy controls:

• DSM-IV diagnosis of psychotic, anxiety, mood disorder.
• History of major psychiatric disorder in first-degree relatives.
• A history of significant medical/neurological disease. Unstable medical condition based on EKG, vital signs, physical examination and laboratory work-up (CBC with differential, SMA-7, uric acid, creatinine clearance, LFTs, TFTs, UA, Utox, Urine pregnancy test).
• A history of cardiac disease including arrhythmias; history of syncope or unexplained loss of consciousness; history of renal stones or renal failure; history of diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus.
• Subjects with hypertension (BP > 140/90).
• Current hyponatremia.
• Serum Ca2+ and uric acid levels that are above normal range.
• Serum creatinine outside of normal range for age.
• Creatinine clearance \<70 ml/min using the Cockcroft-Gault equation (Cockcroft et al 1976) [(140-age)*(weight in kg)*(.85 if female)/(72*Cr)].
• Any medication that in the opinion of the PI could interfere with either the safety of the study and/or the outcome measures, such as diuretics of any type, lithium, carbamazepine.
• Current substance abuse/dependency determined by urine toxicology.
• Current treatment with medications with psychotropic effects.
• Current pregnancy, unsatisfactory birth control method report for females.
• IQ \< 70 as determined by Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence.
• Non-English speaking.

Inclusion criteria for patients with schizophrenia:

• Ages of 21-55 years from all ethnic backgrounds.
• Male or female.
• Smoker or nonsmoker.
• Written informed consent.
• DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
• For treated patients: The patient has been on a stable dose of antipsychotics for the past month and does not require a change of medications or dose adjustment at study entry.
• For untreated patients: Has refused to be treated with medications, maintains regular clinic appointments with the clinicians, and does not pose an imminent danger to himself or others.

Exclusion criteria for patients with schizophrenia

• A history of significant medical/neurological disease. Unstable medical condition based on EKG, vital signs, physical examination and laboratory work-up (CBC with differential, SMA-7, uric acid, creatinine clearance, LFTs, TFTs, UA, Utox, Urine pregnancy test).
• A history of cardiac disease including arrhythmias; history of syncope or unexplained loss of consciousness; history of renal stones or renal failure; history of diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus.
• Serum Ca2+ and uric acid levels that are above normal range.
• Serum creatinine outside of normal range for age.
• Creatinine clearance \<70 ml/min using the Cockcroft-Gault equation [(140-age)*(weight in kg)*(.85 if female)/(72*Cr)].
• Subjects with hypertension (BP > 140/90).
• Current hyponatremia.
• Any medication that in the opinion of the PI could interfere with either the safety of the study and/or the outcome measures, such as diuretics of any type, lithium, carbamazepine.
• Currently on clozapine as clozapine may interfere with brain water regulation (Leadbetter and Shutty, 1994).
• Current substance abuse/dependency determined by urine toxicology.
• Current pregnancy, unsatisfactory birth control method report for females.
• IQ \< 70 as determined by Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence.
• Non-English speaking.

Inclusion criteria for patients with depression:

• Ages of 21-55 years from all ethnic backgrounds.
• Male or female.
• Smoker or nonsmoker.
• Written informed consent.
• DSM-IV diagnosis of major depressive disorder, unipolar.
• For treated patients: The patient has been on a stable dose of medications (antidepressants) for the past month and does not require a change of medications or dose adjustment at study entry.
• For untreated patients: Has refused to be treated with medications, maintains regular clinic appointments with the clinicians, and does not pose an imminent danger to himself or others.

Exclusion criteria for patients with depression:

• A history of significant medical/neurological disease. Unstable medical condition based on EKG, vital signs, physical examination and laboratory work-up (CBC with differential, SMA-7, uric acid, creatinine clearance, LFTs, TFTs, UA, Utox, Urine pregnancy test).
• A history of cardiac disease including arrhythmias; history of syncope or unexplained loss of consciousness; history of renal stones or renal failure; history of diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus.
• Serum Ca2+ and uric acid levels that are above normal range.
• Serum creatinine outside of normal range for age.
• Creatinine clearance \<70 ml/min using the Cockcroft-Gault equation [(140-age)*(weight in kg)*(.85 if female)/(72*Cr)].
• Subjects with hypertension (BP > 140/90).
• Current hyponatremia.
• Any medication that in the opinion of the PI could interfere with either the safety of the study and/or the outcome measures, such as diuretics of any type, lithium, carbamazepine.
• Current substance abuse/dependency determined by urine toxicology.
• Current pregnancy, unsatisfactory birth control method report for females.
• IQ \< 70 as determined by Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence.
• Non-English speaking.

Inclusion criteria for patients from the PRIME Clinic:

• Ages of 18-40 years from all ethnic backgrounds.
• Male or female.
• Smoker or nonsmoker.
• Written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria for patients from the PRIME Clinic:

• A history of significant medical/neurological disease. Unstable medical condition based on EKG, vital signs, physical examination and laboratory work-up (CBC with differential, SMA-7, uric acid, creatinine clearance, LFTs, TFTs, UA, Utox, Urine pregnancy test).
• A history of cardiac disease including arrhythmias; history of syncope or unexplained loss of consciousness; history of renal stones or renal failure; history of diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus.
• Serum Ca2+ and uric acid levels that are above normal range.
• Serum creatinine outside of normal range for age.
• Creatinine clearance \<70 ml/min using the Cockcroft-Gault equation [(140-age)*(weight in kg)*(.85 if female)/(72*Cr)].
• Subjects with hypertension (BP > 140/90).
• Current hyponatremia.
• Any medication that in the opinion of the PI could interfere with either the safety of the study and/or the outcome measures, such as diuretics of any type, lithium, carbamazepine.
• Currently on clozapine as clozapine may interfere with brain water regulation (Leadbetter and Shutty, 1994).
• Current substance abuse/dependency determined by urine toxicology.
• Current pregnancy, unsatisfactory birth control method report for females.
• IQ \< 70 as determined by Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence.
• Non-English speaking.