Pseudobulbar Affect

Allison H Gase, DO and Cody James Klinker, MD Reviewed 04/2024

BASICS

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by excessive emotional displays, most often crying or laughing, thought to be caused by network dysfunction in the brain.

DESCRIPTION

DIAGNOSIS

No formal set of diagnostic criteria exists. The following is a synthesis of different proposed diagnostic criteria.

HISTORY

This disorder should be suspected in patients with neurologic diso...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

Many patients and family members may be distressed by the embarrassing social impact of PBA. The first step is validation and reassurance that PBA is not an uncommon manifest...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

The underlying neurologic disease should be concurrently treated and monitored as appropriate for progression/recurrence, which differs for each...

REFERENCES

Cummings JL, Arciniegas DB, Brooks BR, et al. Defining and diagnosing involuntary emotional expression disorder. CNS Spectr. 2006; 11...

CODES

ICD10

F48.2 Pseudobulbar affect

SNOMED

432776007 pseudobulbar affect (finding)

CLINICAL PEARLS

The key feature of PBA is the dissociation from the emotional experience (internal/mood) and the emotional expression (external manifestation/affect).
PBA is an often underdiagnosed or ...

Subscribe to Access Full Content

START 10-DAY FREE TRIAL

Subscribe Now

Forgot password?

Enter an Access Code

GET CME/CE