Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T03:16:58.130Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Psychomotor retardation in depression, a pilot study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

J.J.M. van Hoof
Affiliation:
Afdeiing Psychiatrie ‘Sini Radboudziekenhuis’. Nijmegen
L.P. van Bavel
Affiliation:
Huidig adres: RIAGG Eindhoven en de Kempen
A.J.M. van den Berg
Affiliation:
Huidig adres: ‘Psychiatrisch Centrum Nijmegen’

Summary

Several studies have demonstrated that psychomotor retardation is an important sign of the major depressive episode, both from a diagnostic point of view and as a predictor of treatment outcome. However, it is uncertain to what extent psychomotor retardation is specific for the major depressive episode. A heterogeneous group of psychiatric patients (n=26) was studied using a rating scale developed specifically to assess psychomotor retardation (RRS). The 13 patients suffering from a major depressive episode had a significantly higher RRS score than patients with another diagnosis. Furthermore, in the depressive subjects the severity of the depression (measured by means of Hamilton's depression rating scale) appeared to correlate with the severity of the psychomotor retardation. Cognitive features of psychomotor retardation were mainly responsible for the more severe psychomotor retardation in the depressive patients. Surprisingly. Hamilton's depression scale which was used in this study does not pay much attention to these aspects.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literatuur

1.Nelson, JC. Charney, DS. The symptoms of major depressive illness. Am J Psychiat 1981: 138: 113.Google ScholarPubMed
2.Raskin, A, Crook, TA. The endogenous-neurotic distinction as a predictor response to antidepressant drugs. Psychol Med 1976; 6: 5970.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Bielski, RJ, Friedel, RO. Prediction of tricyclic antidepressant response. Arch Gen Psychiat 1976: 33: 1479–89.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Benson, DF. Psychomotor retardation. Neuropsychiat, Neuropsychol. Behav Neurol 1990; 3: 3647.Google Scholar
5.Szabadi, E, Brashaw, CM, Besson, J. Elongation of pause-time in speech: a simple, objective measure of motor retardation in depression. Br J Psychiat 1976: 129: 592–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Foster, FG. Kupfer, DJ. Psychomotor activity as a correlate of depression and sleep in acutely disturbed psychiatric inpatients. Am J Psychiat 1975; 132: 928–31.Google ScholarPubMed
7.Carney, R, Hong, B, O'Connell, M, Amado, H. Facial electromyography as a predictor of treatment outcome in depression. Br J Psychiatry 1981; 138: 485–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Bruder, G, Yozawitz, A, Berenhaus, I, Sutton, S. Reaction time facilitation in affective psychotic patients. Psychol Med 1980: 10: 549–54.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Greden, JF, Carroll, BJ. Psychomotor function in affective disorders: an overview of new monitoring techniques. Am J Psychiat 1981; 138: 1441–8.Google ScholarPubMed
10.Hamilton, M. A rating scale for depression. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 1960; 23: 5662.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Zung, WWK. A self-rating depression scale. Arch Gen Psychiat 1965; 12: 6370.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Widlöcher, D. Retardation: a basic emotional response ? In: Davis, JM, Maas, JW (red) The Affective Disorders. Washington DC: Am psychiat press 1983: 165–81.Google Scholar
13.Jouvent, R, Frechette, D, Binoux, F, Lancrenon, S. des Lauriers, A. Le ralentissement psycho-moteur dans les etats depressifs: construction d'une échelle d'evaluation quantitative. L'Encephale 1980: VI:4158.Google Scholar
14.American Psychiatrie Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition Revised. Washington DC: APA 1987.Google Scholar
15.van Hoof, JJM. Torticollis spasmodicus en schakelvaardigheid, Een onderzoek naar de invloed van haloperidol op schakelvaardigheid. KU Nijmegen: Dissertatie 1986.Google Scholar
16.Berger, HJC, van Hoof, JJM, van Spaendonck, KPM. Horstink, MWI, van den Bercken, JHL, Jaspers, R, Cools, AR. Haloperidol and cognitive shifting. Neuropsychologia 1989; 27: 629–39.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed