Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders | Pseudobulbar Palsy

Definition

Pseudobulbar palsy refers to a group of symptoms—including difficulty with chewing, swallowing, and speech, as well as inappropriate emotional outbursts—that accompany a variety of nervous system disorders.

Description

Pseudobulbar palsy refers to a cluster of symptoms that can affect individuals suffering from a number of nervous system conditions, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, or brain damage due to overly rapid correction of low blood sodium levels.

Causes and symptoms

Pseudobulbar palsy occurs when nervous system conditions cause degeneration of certain motor nuclei (nerve clusters responsible for movement) that exit the brain stem.

Patients with pseudobulbar palsy have progressive difficulty with activities that require the use of muscles in the head and neck that are controlled by particular cranial nerves. The...