title: Psychomotor retardation in depression: a systematic review of diagnostic, pathophysiologic, and therapeutic implications.
abstract: Psychomotor retardation is a central feature of depression which includes motor and cognitive impairments. Effective management may be useful to improve the classification of depressive subtypes and treatment selection, as well as prediction of outcome in patients with depression. The aim of this paper was to review the current status of knowledge regarding psychomotor retardation in depression, in order to clarify its role in the diagnostic management of mood disorders. Retardation modifies all the actions of the individual, including motility, mental activity, and speech. Objective assessments can highlight the diagnostic importance of psychomotor retardation, especially in melancholic and bipolar depression. Psychomotor retardation is also related to depression severity and therapeutic change and could be considered a good criterion for the prediction of therapeutic effect. The neurobiological process underlying the inhibition of activity includes functional deficits in the prefrontal cortex and abnormalities in dopamine neurotransmission. Future investigations of psychomotor retardation should help improve the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying mood disorders and contribute to improving their therapeutic management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital of Besançon, 25030 Besançon, France ; EA 481 Neuroscience, IFR 133, University of Franche-Comte, 25030 Besançon, France.
authors.forename: Djamila
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bennabi
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vandel
authors.forename: Charalambos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papaxanthis
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pozzo
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haffen
mesh_terms: D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors