Depression, Eye Blink Rate, Psychomotor Retardation, and Electroconvulsive Therapy-Enhanced Dopamine Receptor Sensitivity.

The effect of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and antidepressant drugs on eye blink rates and on a measure of psychomotor retardation was compared in two samples of neuroleptic-free subjects suffering from DSM III major depression and matched on admission by Hamilton and psychomotor retardation scores. Both treatments caused a significant change in eye blink and psychomotor retardation measures. There was no significant difference between treatment groups, although the ECT-treated subjects included those with the largest eye-blink increases. There was no correlation between Hamilton scores and eye blink rates or psychomotor retardation scores for any of the groups or stages of treatment.