Comparative Study of Psychomotor Performance in Depression Patients with Healthy Volunteers

Abstract

Antidepressant drug therapy can affect psychomotor performance of patients suffering from depression. Hence, the present study was planned to assess the psychomotor performance of under therapy depression patients with healthy volunteers using battery of psychometric tests. Twenty under therapy patients suffering from depression and taking antidepressant drugs treatment for not less than six months were compared with 20 healthy volunteers. The psychometric test battery included three subjective visual analogue scales (VAS) and objective tests; Six Digit Cancellation Test (SDCT), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Arithmetic Ability Test (AA), Immediate Recall Test (IRT) and Finger Tapping Test (FTT). In comparison to healthy volunteers, performance on all the objective tests and subjective tests were significantly impaired in under therapy patients. Psychomotor performance of depression patients taking antidepressant drug therapy is impaired. Such patients should take adequate precautions while operating complex machinery and driving so that accidents can be avoided.