Database of word-level statistics for Mandarin Chinese (DoWLS-MAN).

In this article we present the Database of Word-Level Statistics for Mandarin Chinese (DoWLS-MAN). The database addresses the lack of agreement in phonological syllable segmentation specific to Mandarin by offering phonological features for each lexical item according to 16 schematic representations of the syllable (8 with tone and 8 without tone). Those lexical statistics that differ per phonological word and nonword due to changes in syllable segmentation are of the variant category and include subtitle lexical frequency, phonological neighborhood density measures, homophone density, and network science measures. The invariant characteristics consist of each items' lexical tone, phonological transcription, and syllable structure among others. The goal of DoWLS-MAN is to provide researchers both the ability to choose stimuli that are derived from a segmentation schema that supports an existing model of Mandarin speech processing, and the ability to choose stimuli that allow for the testing of hypotheses on phonological segmentation according to multiple schemas. In an exploratory analysis we illustrate how multiple schematic representations of the phonological mental lexicon can aid in hypothesis generation, specifically in terms of phonological processing when reading Chinese orthography. Users of the database can search among over 92,000 words, over 1600 out-of-vocabulary Chinese characters, and 4300 phonological nonwords according to either Chinese orthography, pinyin, or ASCII phonetic script. Users can also generate a list of phonological words and nonwords according to user-defined ranges and categories of lexical characteristics. DoWLS-MAN is available to the public for search or download at https://dowls.site .

Author Correction: Phonological network fluency identifies phonological restructuring through mental search.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Phonological network fluency identifies phonological restructuring through mental search.

We investigated network principles underlying mental search through a novel phonological verbal fluency task. Post exclusion, 95 native-language Mandarin speakers produced as many items that differed by a single lexical tone as possible within one minute. Their verbal productions were assessed according to several novel graded fluency measures, and network science measures that accounted for the structure, cohesion and interconnectedness of lexical items. A multivariate regression analysis of our participants' language backgrounds included their mono- or multi-lingual status, English proficiency, and fluency in other Chinese languages/dialects. Higher English proficiency predicted lower error rates and greater interconnectedness, while higher fluency in other Chinese languages/dialects revealed lower successive similarity and lower network coherence. This inverse relationship between English and other Chinese languages/dialects provides evidence of the restructuring of the phonological mental lexicon.

Premorbid IQ subgroups in first episode non affective psychosis patients: Long-term sex differences in function and neurocognition.

BACKGROUND: Low IQ has been associated with schizophrenia, even to the point of being posited as a possible causal factor for psychosis. However, individuals with normal and high IQ also develop psychotic illnesses. The aim of this study was to characterize premorbid IQ subgroups at first episode of psychosis (FEP). METHODS: The study sample comes from a large epidemiological, 3-year longitudinal, intervention program on psychosis containing individuals living in a catchment area in Spain. Estimated premorbid IQ (epIQ) scores were used to build low (<90), normal (90-110) and high (>110) epIQ subgroups in samples of FEP patients (N=292) and healthy controls (N=199). The epIQ subgroups were compared in sociodemographic, neuropsychological, clinical and premorbid characteristics. Long-term functional and cognitive outcome, with a focus on sex differences, were also explored. RESULTS: Low-epIQ was more frequently found in FEP patients (28.8%) than in healthy controls (14.6%). Low-epIQ patients were more likely to have worse premorbid adjustment, belong to low socioeconomic status families, have less years of education, and to be single, unemployed, and younger. They presented more severe impairments in processing speed, executive and global cognitive function. Female patients with low-epIQ showed better baseline function and more stable outcome than males. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that low premorbid IQ is a morbid manifestation, easily detected in a subgroup of FEP patients that predicts poorer outcome particularly in males. This perspective provides important information for the tailoring of subgroup-specific early intervention programs for psychosis.

Incidence and risk factors of acute akathisia in 493 individuals with first episode non-affective psychosis: a 6-week randomised study of antipsychotic treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Acute akathisia is a neuropsychiatric syndrome with a negative effect on illness outcome. Its incidence in patients treated with antipsychotics has shown to be highly variable across studies. OBJECTIVES: Our goals were to investigate prevalence, risk factors for the development of acute akathisia, and differences in incidence between antipsychotics in a sample of 493 first episode non-affective psychosis patients. METHODS: This is a pooled analysis of three prospective, randomized, flexible-dose, and open-label clinical trials. Patients were randomized assigned to different arms of treatment (haloperidol, quetiapine, olanzapine, ziprasidone, risperidone, or aripiprazole). Akathisia was determined using the Barnes Akathisia Scale at 6 weeks after antipsychotic initialization. Univariate analyses were performed to identify demographic, biochemical, substance use, clinical, and treatment-related predictors of acute akathisia. Considering these results, a predictive model based of a subsample of 132 patients was constructed with akathisia as the dependent variable. RESULTS: The overall incidence of akathisia was 19.5%. No differences in demographic, biochemical, substance use, and clinical variables were found. Significant incidence differences between antipsychotics were observed (Χ 2 = 68.21, p = 0.000): haloperidol (57%), risperidone (20%), aripiprazole (18.2%), ziprasidone (17.2%), olanzapine (3.6%), and quetiapine (3.5%). The predictive model showed that the type of antipsychotic (OR = 21.3, p = 0.000), need for hospitalization (OR = 2.6, p = 0.05), and BPRS total score at baseline (OR = 1.05, p = 0.03) may help to predict akathisia emergence. CONCLUSIONS: Among second generation antipsychotics, only olanzapine and quetiapine should be considered as akathisia-sparing drugs. The type of antipsychotic, having been hospitalized, and a more severe symptomatology at intake seem to predict the development of acute akathisia.