Relationships between psychomotor retardation and EEG power spectrum in major depression.

In 63 depressed patients, the associations between severity of depression, psychomotor retardation, assessed by the Bech-Rafaelsen Melancholia Scale, and EEG spectral analysis were examined. Slow EEG activity (theta 2/alpha 1 bands) was positively and fast activity (alpha 3/beta bands) negatively correlated with the observed retardation. Out of the four retardation subitems (motor, verbal, intellectual and emotional), motor retardation was closest correlated with slow EEG activity.