LAUGHING AT A FUNERAL. CRYING UNCONTROLLABLY FOR NO REASON.

It’s hard to understand if you don’t know that it could be Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) – a neurological condition involving involuntary, sudden, and frequent episodes of laughing or crying.

A man crying

FACTS ABOUT PBA

PBA is often undiagnosed.

Two million people in the U.S. know they have PBA, but more than 9 million are estimated to be living with the condition.*

Few know.

53 percent of stroke survivor respondents report symptoms of PBA, but fewer than 1 in 5 know about PBA.

Six common neurological conditions are most associated with PBA:

  • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
  • Alzheimer’s/Dementia
  • Stroke
  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS)
  • Parkinson’s Disease

 

PBA IS OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD AND MISDIAGNOSED – BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE.

Awareness, education, and treatment can help people better manage PBA in everyday life. Find information and resources to help.

A doctor consulting a patient
A nurse, patient, and doctor smiling

BUILDING AWARENESS

Pseudobulbar Affect Voices (PBA Voices) is dedicated to building awareness of PBA and to helping providers diagnose, track, and treat the disease. Learn more today.

*When considering patients with any of 6 common neurologic conditions associated with PBA, it is estimated that 37%, or an estimated 7.1 million Americans, have symptoms suggestive of PBA as defined by a CNS-LS (Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale) score ≥13 and 9.4% of patients, or an estimated 1.8 million Americans, with CNS-LS scores ≥21. The presence of PBA symptoms was defined as a CNS-LS score ≥13 and a more restrictive definition was also evaluated using CNS-LS ≥21. The CNS-LS was validated as a PBA screening tool in ALS and MS populations. A CNS-LS score ≥13 merits further diagnostic assessment.