Emotional control is often affected by diseases which injure the brain. Characteristicallly, patients have difficulty controlling their tearfulness or laughter which may occur explosively, often with very minimal provocation. Although depression may also occur in patients with chronic disease, loss of emotional control is an independent phenomenon which does not correlate with the mood of the patient. It is particularly difficult for patients and caretakers alike to deal with this probblem.
Several years ago, CNS researchers made the unexpected discovery that a drug used for cough suppression markedly restored emotional control in patients with ALS. In the process of researching this, it was necessary to develop a scale which could objectively measure this behavior. Under the direction of Stan Moore, Ph.D., a self scored questionnaire was developed and validated in approximately 100 subjects (see sample). One of the importanat findings of this study is that anger and frustration are an integral part of pseudobulbar emotionality which physicians heretofore considered to consist of poorly controlled laughter and tearfulness. Along with CNS staff, Dr.'s Edward Kasarkas (U of Kentrucky) and Mark Bromberg (U of Utah) collaborated on this project.