What causes manic laughter?

It is associated with altered mental states or mental illness, such as mania, hypomania or schizophrenia, and can have other causes. Paradoxical laughter is indicative of an unstable mood, often caused by the pseudobulbar affect, which can quickly change to anger and back again, on minor external cues.

Is there a such thing as a laugh attack?

The Dictionary of Epilepsy“’ has defined laughing attack as a basic manifestation of some sort of affective seizure, accompanied by an equally brief impairment of conscious- ness and occasionally by other ictal mani- festations.

Can you recover from PBA?

There’s no cure for PBA, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with uncontrolled crying or laughter for the rest of your life. Sometimes the symptoms will improve or go away once you treat the condition that caused your PBA. Medications can reduce the number of PBA episodes you have, or make them less intense.

What is pseudobulbar palsy?

Pseudobulbar palsy is due to an upper motor lesion caused by bilateral disturbance of the corticobulbar tracts. Pseudobulbar palsy is characterized by dysarthria, dysphagia, facial and tongue weakness, and emotional lability.

How do you get diagnosed with PBA?

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is typically diagnosed during a neurological evaluation. Specialists who can diagnose PBA include internists, neuropsychologists, neurologists and psychiatrists.

What is bulbar syndrome?

Bulbar palsy is a set of conditions that can occur due to damage to the lower cranial nerves. Clinical features of bulbar palsy range from difficulty swallowing and a lack of a gag reflex to inability to articulate words and excessive drooling. Bulbar palsy is most commonly caused by a brainstem stroke or tumor.