Pseudobulbar affect

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a form of emotional liability that causes sudden, inappropriate, uncontrollable laughing or crying which does not usually reflect the person's mood. It is sometimes referred to as involuntary emotional expression, emotional incontinence, or uncontrollable laughing and crying. PBA is a neurological disorder that is often mistaken for depression.

Causes
Pseudobulbar affect is typically caused by neurological diseases or injuries including multiple sclerosis, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), traumatic brain injury (a head injury causing loss of consciousness), or Parkinson's disease. The emotional outbursts caused by PBA may last up to several minutes, and are different from how the person would normally have responded, and may occur in response to even mild or neutral stimuli. Crying is more common than laughing, and laughing may turn into crying.

Depression
Pseudobulbar affect is often mistaken for depression, but in-between emotional outbrusts the person's mood is normal.

Treatment
Nuedexta was approved by the FDA in 2010, and certain antidepressants may also be helpful, for example SSRIs and TCAs. Combined dextromethorphan and quinidine may also be used.

Learn more

 * Pseudobulbar Affect Versus Depression: Issues in Diagnosis and Treatment - Psychiatric Times
 * PBA Treatment - drugs.com
 * Anger, laughter and tears: Understanding emotional outbursts in MS - Multiple Sclerosis Society
 * Dextromethorphan and quinidine - drugs.com