engleski

Clinical linguistics – psycholinguistic parameters of lexical-semantic processing and executive functions in individuals with schizophrenia- spectrum psychosis

Introduction: Language disturbances, usually seen as loosening of associations, have featured prominently among „characteristic" signs and symptoms of schizophrenia from the earliest conceptualizations. There is an open question of the nature of language disturbances, as indicators of underlying cognitive disturbances or core symptoms of the disorder. Aims: The aim of the collaboration between University of Zagreb linguists and psychiatrists was to describe lexical-semantic deficits in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and to determine correlations between executive functions and lexical-semantic deficits. Finally, the aim was to link these changes with specific symptom clusters and evaluate their possible value in indicating/predicting particular illness phases/courses. Participants and methods: First-episode psychosis (FEP) patients and those early in the course of schizophrenia-spectrum psychotic disorder will be recruited and evaluated clinically to determine symptom clusters profile/severity. Earlier collaboration focused on verbal fluency task and categorization, while in the present study participants were tested on both lexical- semantic processing as well as cognitive functioning. Psycholinguistic tests were developed to determine different aspects of lexical-semantic deficits. Results: Comparison of FEP and healthy individuals showed deficits in hypernymy/ hyponymy processing and the processing of semantic-pragmatic structures, in both production and reception. Results also confirm previous research with regards to significant differences in clustering mechanisms in verbal fluency tasks and relativity of lexical-semantic category boundaries. Additionally, we found that neural noise during lexical recall in FEP depends on the given lexical-semantic category. Data collection is ongoing in the current project on psycholinguistic parameters in lexical-semantic deficits. Conclusion: There are clear changes in lexical-semantic processing in FEP patients. Clinical linguistics creates an arena for multidisciplinary efforts of linguists and psychiatrists (but related fields as well) in an attempt to elucidate processes underlying schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and potentially come up with new diagnostic/prognostic instruments.

schizophrenia-spectrum psychosis ; linguistics ; clinical ; psycholinguistics ; lexical-semantic processing ; executive functions

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