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Kinematical analysis of handwriting movements in depressed patients
Author(s) -
Mergl R.,
Juckel G.,
Rihl J.,
Henkel V.,
Karner M.,
Tigges P.,
Schröter A.,
Hegerl U.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1600-0447.2003.00262.x
Subject(s) - handwriting , motor dysfunction , depression (economics) , basal ganglia , psychology , physical medicine and rehabilitation , supplementary motor area , motor cortex , motor behavior , basal (medicine) , neuroscience , audiology , medicine , central nervous system , computer science , functional magnetic resonance imaging , disease , artificial intelligence , stimulation , insulin , economics , macroeconomics
Objective: Motor disturbances are a relevant aspect of depression. Kinematical analysis of movements can be applied to explore which type of motor dysfunction is associated with depression. We hypothesized that depressed patients draw and write significantly slower than controls and that motor disturbances become more pronounced under bi‐manual demands. Method: We examined 37 depressed patients and 37 healthy controls using a digitizing graphic tablet and subsequent kinematical analysis of handwriting and rapid drawing movements. Results: Depressed patients performed drawing with significantly less regular velocity than controls ( P < 0.001), but normal velocity. Motor differences between patients and controls did not increase under bi‐manual demands. Handwriting of patients was abnormally slow ( P = 0.04). Conclusion: Irregular patterns of velocity peaks in depressed patients point to basal ganglia dysfunction and/or deficient activity of the sensorimotor cortex and the supplementary motor area as a possible substrate of hand‐motor disturbances in depression.