Labile affect or Pseudobulbar affect refers to the pathological expression of laughter, crying, or smiling. It is also known as "Emotional Lability", "Pathological Laughter and Crying", "Emotional Incontinence", or more recently Involuntary Emotional Expression Disorder (IEED). ^[1] An individual may find themselves laughing uncontrollably at something that is only moderately funny, being unable to stop themselves for several minutes. Episodes may also be mood-incongruent; an individual might laugh uncontrollably when angry or frustrated, for example. A young child laughing Laughter is an expression or appearance of merriment or amusement. ... Cry may refer to: The mammalian behavior that brings about tears Usually an expression of a sad emotion A song, from an album of the same name, released in 2002 by the band Simple Minds A single released in 2002 by American pop artist Mandy Moore This is a disambiguation... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

It is most commonly observed after brain injury or degeneration in Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as motor neuron disease). It affects up to 50% of patients or up to 17,000 people, particularly those with pseudobulbar palsy. ^[2] Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, sometimes called Lou Gehrigs Disease, Maladie de Charcot or motor neurone disease) is a progressive, fatal, neurodegenerative disease caused by the degeneration of motor neurons, the nerve cells in the central nervous system that control voluntary muscle movement. ... Motor neuron disease (MND) is a term used to cover a number of illnesses of the motor neurone; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), progressive muscular atrophy (PMA), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), progressive bulbar palsy (PBP), and primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) are all forms of MND. MND is the term used internationally... Pseudobulbar palsy is a form of motor neuron disease which can be associated with paralysis. ...

While not as profoundly disabling as the physical symptoms of these diseases, labile affect can have a significant impact on individuals' social functioning and their relationships with others. In a disease such as Motor Neuron Disease, the majority of patients are cognitively normal; however, the appearance of uncontrollable emotions is commonly associated with learning disabilities. This may lead to severe embarrassment and avoidance of social interactions for the patient, which in turn has an impact on their coping mechanisms and their careers. In the United States and Canada, the term learning disability (LD) is used to refer to a range of neurological conditions that affect one or more of the ways that a person takes in, stores, or uses information. ...

Treatment is usually pharmacological, using anti-depressants such as fluoxetine, citalopram, or amitriptyline in low to moderate doses. In the USA, a combination of dextromethorphan and a subtherapeutic dose of quinidine has been submitted to the FDA for approval to treat emotional lability. ... Fluoxetine pills. ... Citalopram is an antidepressant drug used to treat depression associated with mood disorders. ... Amitriptyline (or Amitryptyline) hydrochloride (sold as Elavil, Tryptanol, Endep, Elatrol, Tryptizol, Trepiline, Laroxyl) is a tricyclic antidepressant drug. ... // Dextromethorphan hydrobromide monohydrate (DM or DXM) is an antitussive drug that is found in many over-the-counter cold and cough preparations. ... Quinidine is a pharmaceutical agent that acts as a class I antiarrhythmic agent in the heart. ... The United States Food and Drug Administration is the government agency responsible for regulating food, dietary supplements, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, biologics and blood products in the United States. ...

See also

• Affect (psychology)

In psychology, affect is the scientific term used to describe a subjects externally displayed mood. ...

References

1. ^ Cummings J, Arciniegas D, Brooks B, Herndon R, Lauterbach E, Pioro E, Robinson R, Scharre D, Schiffer R, Weintraub D (2006). "Defining and diagnosing involuntary emotional expression disorder.". CNS Spectr 11 (6): 1-7. PMID 16816786. 
2. ^ Brooks B, Thisted R, Appel S, Bradley W, Olney R, Berg J, Pope L, Smith R (2004). "Treatment of pseudobulbar affect in ALS with dextromethorphan/quinidine: a randomized trial.". Neurology 63 (8): 1364-70. PMID 15505150.