Audio-Visual Entrainment (AVE) Therapy in Reducing Symptoms of Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA): Two Case Studies

Introduction.Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is characterized by involuntary episodes of laughter or crying, often associated with neurological disorders, significantly impacting the quality of life.This study investigates the effectiveness of audio-visual entrainment (AVE) therapy in reducing PBA symptoms.Methods.The study employed a one-group pretest-posttest experimental design with a sample of 472 individuals from Baghdad, Iraq.Two participants diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis underwent 40 AVE sessions over 2 months using the DAVID Delight Pro device.The Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS) was used to measure PBA symptoms before and after the intervention, with a follow-up 3 months postintervention.Results.Both participants showed significant reductions in CNS-LS scores postintervention (male: 22 to 14; female: 25 to 12), indicating decreased frequency and intensity of emotional outbursts.The Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed significant differences between pretest and posttest scores with a large effect size (r -0.95).Conclusion.AVE therapy effectively reduces PBA symptoms, demonstrating lasting benefits at a 3-month followup.This study supports AVE as a promising nonpharmacological treatment for PBA, encouraging further research on its application to other neurological conditions.