Pathological laughing and crying, or pseudobulbar affect (PBA), has been described in patients with neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) since the 19th century (Schiffer 2005). The syndrome is characterized by inappropriate episodes of laughing or crying after minor stimuli. It was first coined a disinhibition of cortical control by Kinnier Wilson in 1924. It was observed in brain disease and seen with mild TBI. It can impair social and occupational function and is largely underrecognized in clinical settings. PBA is usually treated with antidepressants and dopaminergic agents. In this case we treated a military recruit with TBI with Nuedexta—a dextromethorphan/Quinidine derivative with a subsequent decrease in his episodes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.