CIRCADIAN PATTERN OF MOTOR-ACTIVITY IN MAJOR DEPRESSED-PATIENTS UNDERGOING ANTIDEPRESSANT THERAPY - RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACTIGRAPHIC MEASURES AND CLINICAL COURSE

The 24-hour motor activity pattern was evaluated in 26 inpatients with major depression at treatment onset and after 4 weeks of antidepressa nt therapy. Clinical state, depression, and psychomotor retardation, a s well as motor activity level and circadian rhythm, were simultaneous ly assessed. Treatment responders and nonresponders were also consider ed. Diurnal hypoactivity and reduced 24-hour rhythm amplitude were fou nd at treatment onset. Activity level increased significantly on disch arge. The rest-activity cycle for each depressed patient fit a cosine function of 24-hour periodicity. Data tended to show no phase shift bu t a large intragroup phase variability. Preliminary findings of a nega tive correlation between basic activity level and clinical improvement , and a trend toward responders having a lower activity level than non responders, suggest that activity could be used to predict therapeutic response.