Affective Dysfunction [Neurosurgery Wiki]

This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong.
====== Affective Dysfunction ======

**Definition:**  
Affective dysfunction refers to impairments in the ability to regulate, express, or experience emotions appropriately. It encompasses a range of emotional disturbances, including **blunted affect**, **emotional lability**, **inappropriate affect**, and **emotional dysregulation**.

===== Clinical Presentation =====
Affective dysfunction may manifest as:

  * **Blunted or flat affect** – reduced emotional expressiveness.
  * **Emotional lability** – rapid, exaggerated changes in mood.
  * **Inappropriate affect** – emotions incongruent with the situation or context.
  * **Irritability or explosive emotional responses** – seen in some neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders.

===== Associated Disorders =====
Affective dysfunction is commonly observed in:

  * **Mood disorders** (e.g., major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder)
  * **Schizophrenia spectrum disorders**
  * **Traumatic brain injury (TBI)**
  * **Frontal lobe lesions**
  * **Cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome (CCAS)**

===== Neuroanatomical Correlates =====
Key brain regions involved include:

  * **Prefrontal cortex** – particularly the orbitofrontal and ventromedial areas
  * **Amygdala** – emotion processing and reactivity
  * **Anterior cingulate cortex** – emotional awareness and response
  * **Cerebellum** – especially in CCAS, highlighting its role in "dysmetria of thought" and emotional modulation

===== Assessment Tools =====
  * **Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI)**
  * **Affect Rating Scales** (e.g., PANSS for schizophrenia)
  * **Clinical interviews** focusing on affective range, appropriateness, and lability

===== Treatment Approaches =====
Management depends on the underlying cause and may include:

  * **Pharmacotherapy** – antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics
  * **Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)**
  * **Neurorehabilitation** – especially in acquired brain injury or neurodegenerative conditions

===== See Also =====
  * [[cerebellar_cognitive_affective_syndrome]]
  * [[executive_dysfunction]]
  * [[emotional_lability]]
  * [[pseudobulbar_affect]]