Fine motor retardation and depression

Abstract

Summary-New computerized techniques allow the precise measurement of psychomotor retar dation in patients with a major depressive episode (MDE). One such technique is the analysis of writing and drawing behaviour during figure copying tasks. In the present study, 22 inpatients with an M DE were compared to 22 normal controls. Three tasks were used; the drawing of lines and simple figures, the copying of complex figures and a task in which figures had to be rotated. Objectives were to provide support for earlier findings that the patients were slower than the controls and to explore the cognitive and motor processes involved. Two strategies were applied: analysis of the reaction time and movement time and their different components, and manipulation of the cognitive and motor demands. Patients showed considerable retardation with most of the kinematic variables. Motor deficits and cognitive slowing down contributed to this retardation. Cognitive difficulties increased with increasing complexity of the task.

Cognitive and neurological impairment in mood disorders

“…Psychomotor retardation, or slowed response time, is a prominent feature of mood disorders, although it is not present in every patient [59]. Increased time to initiate movement, accompanied by increased time to complete movement, may represent impairment in cognitive and motor processing.…”

Changes in fine motor retardation in depressed patients treated with fluoxetine

“…In fact, only very low doses of anxiolytics or neuroleptics, used by the patients with psychotic features (n = 6), were allowed. For a discussion of the possible positive or negative effects of the use of this medication on the tasks used, see Sabbe et a!., 1996. Three clinical rating scales were scored at TO and Tl: the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Hamilton, 1960 ), the Zung Self-Rating Scale (Zung, 1965) and the Salpetriere Retardation Rating Scale (WidlOcher, 1983b). Tests consisted of a series of copying tasks with the aid of a pen on a graphics tablet.…”

Psychomotor slowing and planning deficits in schizophrenia

“…Under experimental conditions, movements produced during a number of writing or drawing tasks are recorded with the aid of an electronic pen, a digitizing tablet and a personal computer, and are analyzed by means of a special software package, called OASIS. This method has been developed within our institutes for the measurement of psychomotor slowing in depression and schizophrenia Sabbe et al, 1996; and the foregoing Chapter of the present thesis).…”