Abstract
Pathologic laughing occurs in approximately 10% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), especially when patients have entered the chronic stage. We describe four patients with MS who, at an early stage, developed pathologic laughing associated, in two cases, with intractable hiccups. In two patients, MRI showed an enhanced lesion in the medulla oblongata and the mesencephalon, two regions suspected of being involved in pathologic laughing and intractable hiccups.
MeSH terms
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Adolescent
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Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
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Adult
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Affective Symptoms / diagnosis*
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Affective Symptoms / drug therapy
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Affective Symptoms / etiology
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Africa, Northern / ethnology
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Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use
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Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / therapeutic use
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Female
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Hiccup / diagnosis*
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Hiccup / drug therapy
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Hiccup / etiology
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Humans
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Laughter*
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Male
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Medulla Oblongata / pathology*
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Medulla Oblongata / physiopathology
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Mesencephalon / pathology*
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Mesencephalon / physiopathology
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Multiple Sclerosis / complications
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Multiple Sclerosis / diagnosis*
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Multiple Sclerosis / physiopathology
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Neural Pathways / pathology
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Neural Pathways / physiopathology
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Treatment Outcome
Substances
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Adrenal Cortex Hormones
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Anticonvulsants
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Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic