Anusha Shetty, popularly known for her role in Bahubali, Arundhati and many such movies in the South film industry recently revealed that she suffers from a rare laughing disorder. How is laughing a problem? The 42 year old actress revealed how this disorder sometimes hinders with her work at the shoot.
“I have a laughing disease. You might wonder, ‘Is laughing a problem?’ For me, it is. If I start laughing. I can’t stop for 15-20 minutes. While watching or shooting comedy scenes, I literally roll on the floor laughing, and the shoot has been halted many times,” Anushka Shetty said in an interview with Indiaglitz.
What is this condition called?
This laughing disorder that the actress suffers from is known as the Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA). It is a neurological disorder that makes you laugh or cry involuntarily. It is not related to the person's emotional state but it is such a disorder that if a person starts laughing or crying, they are not able to control it. They keep having episodes of intense laughter or crying.
These emotional outburst can be sudden and confusing for the one who is going through it and also for the people around them. Imagine laughing at a joke and later unable to stop laughing for minutes. It can get quite embarrassing when it occurs at an inappropriate situation.
What are the causes of PBA?
Various neurological conditions can result in PBA, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
If a family member or close relative has had PBA, you may have a higher likelihood of developing the condition in response to other neurological issues or injuries.
Structural or functional abnormalities in the brain can impact areas responsible for emotional regulation, potentially leading to PBA.
What are the symptoms of PBA ?
Symptoms of this laughing disorder can initially be uncontrollable laughter or crying in inappropriate surroundings. A person suffering form this disorder can uncontrollably start laughing in a serious situation or start crying in a humorous situation. This condition is very unpredictable and it can affect the quality of your life, your social interaction and the embarrassment can lead to anxiety and depression.
The actress has not confirmed being diagnosed with this disorder but the symptoms she mentioned clearly direct to the one's of PBA. Treatment for PBA involves medication after diagnosis. Regular checkups with the healthcare after diagnosis is essential to monitor the outcomes of the treatment.
