| Pseudobulbar affect | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Emotional incontinence |
| Specialty | Psychiatry, neurology |
| Symptoms | Episodes of uncontrollable laughing, crying, or other emotional displays that may not match the patient's mental state |
| Duration | Few to several minutes |
| Causes | Traumatic brain injury, ALS, MS, dementia, etc. |
| Risk factors | Traumatic brain injury, ALS, MS, dementia, etc. |
| Diagnostic method | During a neurological evaluation |
| Differential diagnosis | Depression |
Pseudobulbar affect (PBA), or emotional incontinence, is a type of neurological disorder characterized by uncontrollable episodes of crying or laughing. PBA occurs secondary to a neurologic disorder or brain injury. Patients may find themselves crying uncontrollably at something that is only slightly sad, being unable to stop themselves for several minutes. Episodes may also be mood-incongruent: a patient may laugh uncontrollably when angry or frustrated, for example.[1] Sometimes, the episodes may switch between emotional states, resulting in the patient crying uncontrollably before dissolving into fits of laughter.
The pseudobulbar affect, also referred to as emotional lability, should not be confused with depression that stems from emotional instability – affective dysregulation – commonly seen in mental illnesses and certain personality disorders.