Which symptom shows observable changes in movement or activity levels?

Which symptom shows observable changes in movement or activity levels?

• A. Fatigue
• B. Recurrent Thoughts of Death
• C. Psychomotor agitation or retardation
• D. Not attributable to substances

Answer: (C)

Psychomotor changes describe observable alterations in how a person moves, speaks, or acts. In mood disorders like depression, these changes show up as either psychomotor retardation—slowed movements, speech, and reaction times, giving the person a lethargic or slow appearance—or psychomotor agitation—restlessness, pacing, and increased motor activity. Because these are outward, visible signs, they reflect movement or activity level changes that others can notice. Fatigue is more of a subjective sense of energy loss and may not always translate into visible motor change. Recurrent thoughts of death are internal cognitive symptoms, not movements or actions. Not attributable to substances is a diagnostic criterion about ruling out substance effects, not a movement symptom. Therefore, the option describing observable changes in movement or activity levels best fits psychomotor agitation or retardation.

Psychomotor changes describe observable alterations in how a person moves, speaks, or acts. In mood disorders like depression, these changes show up as either psychomotor retardation—slowed movements, speech, and reaction times, giving the person a lethargic or slow appearance—or psychomotor agitation—restlessness, pacing, and increased motor activity. Because these are outward, visible signs, they reflect movement or activity level changes that others can notice. Fatigue is more of a subjective sense of energy loss and may not always translate into visible motor change. Recurrent thoughts of death are internal cognitive symptoms, not movements or actions. Not attributable to substances is a diagnostic criterion about ruling out substance effects, not a movement symptom. Therefore, the option describing observable changes in movement or activity levels best fits psychomotor agitation or retardation.