Autosomal dominant familial neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus is an inherited deficiency of arginine vasopressin (AVP), and this is caused by mutations in the AVP-neurophysin II (AVP-NP II) gene. Most of these mutations have been located in the signal peptide or in the NP II moiety. In the present study, we have analyzed the AVP-NP II gene in a Korean family. Clinical and genetic studies were performed on three members of the family, and on a normal healthy unrelated individual. The diagnosis of neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus was done by performing a fluid deprivation test and a vasopressin challenge. For genetic analysis, the genomic DNA was extracted and the AVP-NP II gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Clinical assessment of the affected individuals confirmed the diagnosis of neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus. Genetic analysis of the AVP-NP II gene revealed a novel deletion mutation of a single nucleotide (guanine) within the splice acceptor site of intron 2 (IVS2 +1 delG). The affected individuals were heterozygous for this mutation. We also demonstrated through RT-PCR analysis of the mutant gene that this mutation resulted in the retention of intron 2 during pre-mRNA splicing. We concluded that a novel splicing mutation in the AVP-NP II gene causes neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus in this family.