Peripheral vasopressin but not oxytocin relates to severity of acute psychosis in women with acutely-ill untreated first-episode psychosis

Results suggest an association of endogenous AVP with increased positive symptom severity and worse cognition in untreated female, but not male, schizophrenia patients. Findings support the role of neuroendocrine alterations in acute psychosis and the importance of examining sex-specific neuroendocrine alterations early in the course of schizophrenia.