Psychomotor retardation is linked to frontal alpha asymmetry in major depression

•Psychomotor alterations are core symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD).•We assessed psychomotor disturbances with the use of actigraphy.•After recording a resting EEG we calculated alpha power and frontal alpha asymmetry.•MDD patients had lower motor activity and left lateralized frontal alpha activity.•Motor activity correlated with alpha power and frontal alpha asymmetry scores.

BackgroundPsychomotor disturbances are a main clinical feature of major depressive disorder (MDD) but little is known about their EEG signature. One of the most replicated EEG findings in MDD is resting frontal asymmetry in the alpha band (FAA), which is thought to be a correlate of withdrawal behavior and reduced approach motivation. The purpose of this study was to assess psychomotor alterations, alpha band power, FAA and investigate the association between them.Methods20 MDD patients and 19 healthy subjects were enrolled. Alpha power and FAA scores were calculated from a resting state EEG. Wrist actigraphy was recorded from the non-dominant arm for 24 h and activity level scores (AL) were extrapolated from the wakeful periods.ResultsMDD patients had a left-lateralized frontal alpha activity and lower AL scores when compared to healthy subjects. A significant correlation was found between mean FAA and AL scores. A negative covariance between power in the lower alpha range and AL scores over the motor cortex bilaterally was detected.LimitationsRelatively small sample size. Patients were pharmacologically treated with antidepressants.ConclusionsThis study replicates the finding of left-lateralized FAA and lower AL scores in MDD patients, and establishes the first evidence of significant correlations between alpha power, FAA scores and measures of motor activity, which may be interpreted as an expression of impaired motivational drive in MDD.