DIALOG is an international, interdisciplinary research initiative dedicated to understanding the brain mechanisms underlying disorganised speech and language in people with severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. Speech disorganisation—often invisible and poorly understood—can significantly hinder social interaction and recovery for affected individuals.
By combining naturalistic speech analysis with cutting-edge neuroimaging and computational tools, including Large Language Models (LLMs), DIALOG aims to identify the neural signatures of disorganisation and uncover new, targeted interventions. Our approach is rooted in collaboration—with global experts, community partners, and people with lived experience of mental illness.
Our Collaborative Work Groups
To tackle the complexity of disorganised speech and its neural underpinnings, DIALOG’s research is structured across five interconnected work groups. Each group focuses on a complementary aspect, from the fundamental brain and synaptic mechanisms to language metrics, connectivity, temporal dynamics, and clinical interventions. Ensuring a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to discovery and translation.
Work Group 1
Work Group 2
Work Group 3
Work Group 4
Work Group 5
An International Project
DIALOG is powered by an extensive network of collaborators across 7 countries and over 12 institutions, including:
We collaborate with leading experts in linguistics, psychiatry, neuroimaging, and AI to drive discovery and translation
What our team has been up to
News
Discourse in Psychosis Conference – March 30–31, 2026
The IUSS Pavia will host the 4th Consortium Satellite Meeting of the international Discourse in Psychosis network on March 30–31, 2026. Titled “Language and Thought in the Brain and in Mental Health,” this interdisciplinary conference brings together students, researchers, and clinicians across psychiatry, cognitive neuroscience, and linguistics.
The program features invited talks on disorganization in mental illness, followed by workshops exploring theoretical and methodological approaches to brain–language relationships. Organized by the Laboratory of Neurolinguistics and Experimental Pragmatics at IUSS Pavia, with contributions from IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, the event offers a valuable opportunity for international collaboration and exchange.
Our Funder
DIALOG is supported by a WELLCOME trust grant