Cortical and subcortical sensory-motor impairment in patients with major depression: a preliminary analysis

Assessment of patients with depression tends to focus on the psychiatric symptoms of the disorder to quantify distress, potential for suicide, and helps determine the appropriate course of treatment. However, research increasingly reveals comorbid organic and biological deficits in higher order cortical skills and subcortical processes which should be considered when assessing the depressed patient. The current study investigated the presence of cortical and subcortical sensory deficits in a group of 36 patients with Major Depressive Disorder as compared to a group of normal controls. The results of a MANOVA indicated a significant performance difference between depressed and nondepressed participants (Wilks' Lambda = .437, F = 3.68, p > .001). Subsequent univariate tests showed normals performed better on 29 of 35 variables of a sensory-motor battery. Deficits in sensory and motor functioning can have a profound impact on patient functioning and may remit with treatment. Thus, a comprehensive neuropsychological battery for patients with depression should include standardized and psychometrically sound measures of sensory and motor functioning.