Thought disorder measured as random speech structure classifies negative symptoms and schizophrenia diagnosis 6 months in advance.

ABSTRACT: In chronic psychotic patients, word graph analysis shows potential as complementary psychiatric assessment. This analysis relies mostly on connectedness, a structural feature of speech that is anti-correlated with negative symptoms. Here we aimed to verify whether speech disorganization during the first clinical contact, as measured by graph connectedness, can correctly classify negative symptoms and the schizophrenia diagnosis 6 months in advance. Positive and negative syndrome scale scores and memory reports were collected from 21 patients undergoing first clinical contact for recent-onset psychosis, followed for 6 months to establish diagnosis, and compared to 21 well-matched healthy subjects. Each report was represented as a word-trajectory graph. Connectedness was measured by number o

SUBMITTER: Mota NB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5441540 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature