A newborn with a CNS midline defect and persistent hyponatremia was diagnosed with a "reset" osmostat using a 3% hypertonic saline test. The diagnosis was established by measuring urinary arginine vasopressin (UAVP) and plasma osmolality (POsmol). In this infant a chromosome abnormality with the karyotype 46, X, -X, +der(X) t(X;13) (p22.1;q22) was associated with the midline defect and a reset osmostat.