Oxytocin and Social Decision Making in Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia group -

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Males between 18 and 45 years with at least 7 years of education
2. The DSM-IV diagnosis of Schizophrenia or schizoaffective or schizophreniform disorder
3. capacity to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Current comorbid DSM-IV axis I diagnosis
2. General impaired intellectual functioning
3. history of alcohol or substance abuse or dependence in the last 12 months
4. contraindication to Oxytocin like hypersensitivity, vascular disease, chronic nephritis, epilepsy, asthma
5. past history of head injury resulting in loss of consciousness or neurosurgery
6. concomitant severe medical conditions
7. metal implants or paramagnetic objects within the body or claustrophobia which may interfere with the MRI.

Healthy volunteers:

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Males between 18 and 45 years with at-least 7 years education
2. Capacity to provide informed consent
3. absence of past or present psychiatric illnesses including substance abuse/dependence

Exclusion criteria:

1. General impaired intellectual functioning
2. contraindication to Oxytocin like hypersensitivity, vascular disease, chronic nephritis, epilepsy, asthma
3. past history of head injury resulting in loss of consciousness or neurosurgery
4. concomitant severe medical conditions
5. metal implants or paramagnetic objects within the body or claustrophobia which may interfere with the MRI.
6. Family history of schizophrenia or schizoaffective or schizophreniform disorder in a first-degree relative