[dottie]

Hi. I am having trouble fully understanding just what motor retardation is and how it manifests itself in someone who is not mentally retarded, or depressed, however, the development of it is brought on by ...say...opiate intoxidation.

I have googled this to death..and still do not understand it. Can someone break this down for me in the most fundamental ways possible. Meaning: I am not the sharpest knife in the kitchen drawyer!

Thank you!
dottie

[Frozen_Heart]

I'm not familiar with the term but to break it down, I would assume it is very different from depression. One of my brothers is metally retarded and I think I'm focused on his condition and can't see 'retardation' in a different light.

Sorry. . .I hope you find answers.

[(JD)]

OK, let me give it a shot ....

Opiods are CNS depressants, meaning they lower or slow the responses that the Central Nervous System (CNS) uses for communication within the body. The sedating effects of an opiod causes this "slow motion" of response of mind to muscle movement.



I'm sure that if you need a better understanding, you could ask psisci in the drug forum. Hope this helps.

[lesbo]

Hi
Motor retardation due to opiate intoxication is simply that because the mind is affected by the drugs, the mind is unable to send proper messages to the body to perform the desired task.
The message signal from the brain to the limbs or muscles, is delayed because of the intoxication and therefore, the body is not sure how to respond. As the drugs start wearing out of the system, so the responses will become more appropriate.

[dottie]

I gotcha now. Thanks for your input everyone!

dottie

[Perna]

Here's a good "depression" site (toward bottom has substance abuse) that has a good couple sections/information on psychomotor agitation/retardation:

http://psychnet-uk.com/dsm_iv/major_depression.htm

[psisci]

It is called ataxia, and you can google it.