Pseudobulbar affect: Prevalence and association with symptoms in multiple sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neuroscience
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary emotional expression.
• Prevalence and associations of PBA in multiple sclerosis (MS) populations require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• Determine the prevalence of PBA in a large cohort of individuals with MS.
• Assess the relationship between PBA, disability, and symptom severity in MS.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the North American Research Committee on MS (NARCOMS) registry.
• Administered the Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS) to assess PBA symptoms.
• Compared demographic and clinical characteristics of PBA-positive individuals with those without PBA using statistical analyses.

Main Results:

• A low prevalence of PBA (2.5%) was identified among 8,136 MS registry participants without depression.
• PBA-positive individuals were younger, more likely to be non-white, and had lower socioeconomic status.
• PBA was associated with an increased likelihood of moderate to severe cognitive impairment in MS.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of PBA in MS appears low, but symptom overlap with depression is common.
• Concomitant assessment of mood is crucial when evaluating PBA in MS patients.
• PBA may be an indicator of cognitive impairment in individuals with MS.