Motor phenotype assessment in patients with depressive disorders using isometric tongue force analysis – a readout for clinical studies?

Background: Motor symptoms of depression are increasingly appreciated in the setting of research and clinical studies. Psychomotor slowing, for instance, has been identified as criterion for the severity of depression and is currently being assessed in standardized depression rating scales (e.g., Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, DSM-IV). However, clinical ratings may be biased by subjective error and categorical scales are lacking high sensitivity. Therefore objective and quantitative measures of motor dysfunction would be desirable as possible outcome measures in clinical studies. In Huntington's Disease a…