PM&R’s Role in Addressing Mood Disturbances and Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA) in Brain Injury-Session Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Dr. Zorowitz and Dr. Scopelia discuss mood disorders in brain injury, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They emphasize the importance of recognizing and addressing these mood disturbances, as they can impact a patient's participation in interventions and hinder their recovery. They discuss the criteria for diagnosing and assessing these mood disorders, including the use of self-reporting scales and clinician-rated scales. The doctors also discuss the epidemiology of mood disturbances in brain injury populations and the potential comorbidity with substance misuse. Additionally, they touch on pseudobulbar affect, a neurological disorder characterized by inappropriate laughing or crying that is not congruent with the patient's underlying mood. They discuss the differential diagnosis and prevalence of pseudobulbar affect, as well as its impact on rehabilitation. Finally, the doctors summarize the pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for mood disorders, emphasizing the need for individualized, targeted interventions that take into account the patient's specific symptoms and recovery trajectory. They also recommend non-pharmacological strategies such as physical exercise, sleep hygiene, and social interactions as beneficial for managing mood disorders after brain injury.

Keywords

mood disorders

brain injury

depression

anxiety

post-traumatic stress disorder

diagnosis

epidemiology

pseudobulbar affect

rehabilitation