Changes in fine motor retardation in depressed patients treated with fluoxetine.
Changes in psychomotor slowing were studied in 21 inpatients with a Major Depressive Episode. Fine motor retardation was measured and analysed using computer-aided drawing and figure-copying tasks at T0 (the start of 6 weeks treatment with fluoxetine 20 mg/day) and 5 weeks later (T1). The differences in reaction time between the patients and a group of healthy, matched controls at T0 had disappeared at T1. The initial motor deficit, expressed in longer movement times, had not improved at T1. These findings combined with the effect of manipulation of cognitive and motor demands, suggested that only cognitive processes had accelerated.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
B
B
Sabbe
J
J
van Hoof
W
W
Hulstijn
F
F
Zitman
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000187:drug effects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects*
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D005473:Fluoxetine