Pseudobulbar Affect in Survivors of Extreme Prematurity With Cerebellar Injury: Support for the Cerebellar Link in Pathological Laughter and Crying

Pseudo-bulbar affect (PBA), ie. pathological laughter and crying is being increasingly recognized in adults and is seen in association with a number of diseases like Parkinson disease, dementia, traumatic encephalopathy and others but has not previously been described in children with cerebral palsy CP. The condition (PBA) may be due to lesions in (or degeneration of) the cerebro-ponto-cerebellar pathways. Here we report two children with CP who have structural cerebellar injury as a result of their being born extremely premature who have pathological crying and probably laughter.
Source: Seminars in Pediatric Neurology - Category: Neurology Authors: Source Type: research