U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

Inappropriate laughter

MedGen UID:
98407
Concept ID:
C0424304
Finding
SNOMED CT: Inappropriate laughter (247985007)
 
HPO: HP:0000748

Definition

Laughing that may be excessive and/or inappropriate in context (e.g., laughing at a funeral while others are crying). [from HPO]

Term Hierarchy

Conditions with this feature

Pick disease
MedGen UID:
116020
Concept ID:
C0236642
Disease or Syndrome
Pick disease refers to the neuropathologic finding of 'Pick bodies,' which are argyrophilic, intraneuronal inclusions, and 'Pick cells,' which are enlarged neurons. The clinical correlates of Pick disease of brain include those of frontotemporal dementia, which encompass the behavioral variant of FTD, semantic dementia, and progressive nonfluent aphasia (summary by Piguet et al., 2011). Kertesz (2003) suggested the term 'Pick complex' to represent the overlapping syndromes of FTD, primary progressive aphasia (PPA), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), progressive supranuclear palsy (601104), and FTD with motor neuron disease. He noted that frontotemporal dementia may also be referred to as 'clinical Pick disease,' and that the term 'Pick disease' should be restricted to the pathologic finding of Pick bodies.
Adenylosuccinate lyase deficiency
MedGen UID:
78641
Concept ID:
C0268126
Disease or Syndrome
Adenylosuccinase deficiency is an autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism caused by an enzymatic defect in de novo purine synthesis (DNPS) pathway. ADSL deficiency leads to the accumulation of toxic intermediates, including succinyladenosine (S-Ado) and succinylaminoimidazole carboxamide riboside (SAICAr) in body fluids. There are 3 major phenotypic forms of the disorder that correlate with different values of the S-Ado and SAICAr concentration ratios (S-Ado/SAICAr) in the cerebrospinal fluid. These include the most severe fatal neonatal encephalopathy (S-Ado/SAICAr ratio less than 1); childhood form (type I) with severe psychomotor retardation (S-Ado/SAICAr ratio close to 1), and a milder form (type II) with psychomotor retardation or hypotonia (S-Ado/SAICAr ratio greater than 2) (summary by Baresova et al., 2012).
Frontotemporal dementia
MedGen UID:
83266
Concept ID:
C0338451
Disease or Syndrome
In general, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) refers to a clinical manifestation of the pathologic finding of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). FTD, the most common subtype of FTLD, is a behavioral variant characterized by changes in social and personal conduct with loss of volition, executive dysfunction, loss of abstract thought, and decreased speech output. A second clinical subtype of FTLD is 'semantic dementia,' characterized by specific loss of comprehension of language and impaired facial and object recognition. A third clinical subtype of FTLD is 'primary progressive aphasia' (PPA), characterized by a reduction in speech production, speech errors, and word retrieval difficulties resulting in mutism and an inability to communicate. All subtypes have relative preservation of memory, at least in the early stages. FTLD is often associated with parkinsonism or motor neuron disease (MND) resembling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; 105400) (reviews by Tolnay and Probst, 2002 and Mackenzie and Rademakers, 2007). Mackenzie et al. (2009, 2010) provided a classification of FTLD subtypes according to the neuropathologic findings (see PATHOGENESIS below). Clinical Variability of Tauopathies Tauopathies comprise a clinically variable group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized neuropathologically by accumulation of abnormal MAPT-positive inclusions in nerve and/or glial cells. In addition to frontotemporal dementia, semantic dementia, and PPA, different clinical syndromes with overlapping features have been described, leading to confusion in the terminology (Tolnay and Probst, 2002). Other terms used historically include parkinsonism and dementia with pallidopontonigral degeneration (PPND) (Wszolek et al., 1992); disinhibition-dementia-parkinsonism-amyotrophy complex (DDPAC) (Lynch et al., 1994); frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism (FLDEM) (Yamaoka et al., 1996); and multiple system tauopathy with presenile dementia (MSTD) (Spillantini et al., 1997). These disorders are characterized by variable degrees of frontal lobe dementia, parkinsonism, motor neuron disease, and amyotrophy. Other neurodegenerative disorders associated with mutations in the MAPT gene include Pick disease (172700) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP; 601104). Inherited neurodegenerative tauopathies linked to chromosome 17 and caused by mutation in the MAPT gene have also collectively been termed 'FTDP17' (Lee et al., 2001). Kertesz (2003) suggested the term 'Pick complex' to represent the overlapping syndromes of FTD, primary progressive aphasia (PPA), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), PSP, and FTD with motor neuron disease. He noted that frontotemporal dementia may also be referred to as 'clinical Pick disease' and that the term 'Pick disease' should be restricted to the pathologic finding of Pick bodies. Genetic Heterogeneity of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Mutations in several different genes can cause frontotemporal dementia and frontotemporal lobar degeneration, with or without motor neuron disease. See FTD2 (607485), caused by mutation in the GRN gene (138945) on chromosome 17q21; FTDALS7 (600795), caused by mutation in the CHMP2B gene (609512) on chromosome 3p11; inclusion body myopathy with Paget disease and FTD (IBMPFD; 167320), caused by mutation in the VCP gene (601023) on chromosome 9p13; ALS6 (608030), caused by mutation in the FUS gene (137070) on 16p11; ALS10 (612069), caused by mutation in the TARDBP gene (605078) on 1p36; and FTDALS1 (105550), caused by mutation in the C9ORF72 gene (614260) on 9p21. In 1 family with FTD, a mutation was identified in the presenilin-1 gene (PSEN1; 104311) on chromosome 14, which is usually associated with a familial form of early-onset Alzheimer disease (AD3; 607822).
Intellectual disability, autosomal dominant 1
MedGen UID:
409857
Concept ID:
C1969562
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
MBD5 haploinsufficiency is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by developmental delay, intellectual disability, severe speech impairment, seizures, sleep disturbances, and abnormal behaviors. Most children lack speech entirely or have single words, short phrases, or short sentences. Seizures are present in more than 80% of children; onset is usually around age two years. Sleep disturbances, present in about 90%, can result in excessive daytime drowsiness. Abnormal behaviors can include autistic-like behaviors (80%) and self-injury and aggression (>60%).
Intellectual disability, autosomal dominant 8
MedGen UID:
481912
Concept ID:
C3280282
Disease or Syndrome
GRIN1-related neurodevelopmental disorder (GRIN1-NDD) is characterized by mild-to-profound developmental delay / intellectual disability (DD/ID) in all affected individuals. Other common manifestations are epilepsy, muscular hypotonia, movement disorders, spasticity, feeding difficulties, and behavior problems. A subset of individuals show a malformation of cortical development consisting of extensive and diffuse bilateral polymicrogyria. To date, 72 individuals with GRIN1-NDD have been reported.
Severe intellectual disability-poor language-strabismus-grimacing face-long fingers syndrome
MedGen UID:
767362
Concept ID:
C3554448
Disease or Syndrome
GAND syndrome is a neurodevelopmental syndrome characterized by global developmental delay apparent from infancy, with motor delay and moderate to severely impaired intellectual development. Most patients have poor speech acquisition, especially expressive language development, and may manifest signs of speech apraxia. Affected individuals have hypotonia and feeding difficulties in infancy, as well as common dysmorphic features, such as macrocephaly, frontal bossing, hypertelorism, deep-set eyes, posteriorly rotated ears, and elongated wide nose with prominent nasal tip. More variable features may include seizures, cardiac abnormalities, and nonspecific findings on brain imaging (summary by Shieh et al., 2020).
Intellectual disability, autosomal recessive 42
MedGen UID:
862780
Concept ID:
C4014343
Disease or Syndrome
Neurodevelopmental disorder with dysmorphic features, spasticity, and brain abnormalities (NEDDSBA) is an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severely delayed global development, with hypotonia, impaired intellectual development, and poor or absent speech. Most patients have spasticity with limb hypertonia and brisk tendon reflexes. Additional features include nonspecific dysmorphic facial features, structural brain abnormalities, and cortical visual impairment (summary by Bosch et al., 2015). Novarino et al. (2014) labeled the disorder 'spastic paraplegia-67' (SPG67). The disorder is caused by a defect in glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthesis. For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of GPI biosynthesis defects, see GPIBD1 (610293).
Progressive essential tremor-speech impairment-facial dysmorphism-intellectual disability-abnormal behavior syndrome
MedGen UID:
895952
Concept ID:
C4225395
Disease or Syndrome
A rare genetic syndromic intellectual disability characterized by global developmental delay, moderate to severe intellectual disability, motor and language impairment, behavioral abnormalities (with mood instability, aggression and self-mutilation) and progressive hand tremor. Facial dysmorphism includes narrow palpebral fissures, large ears, long philtrum and prominent chin.
Glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis defect 18
MedGen UID:
1648478
Concept ID:
C4748357
Disease or Syndrome
Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-95 (DEE95) is a severe autosomal recessive disorder characterized by severely impaired global development, hypotonia, weakness, ataxia, coarse facial features, and intractable seizures. More variable features may include abnormalities of the hands and feet, inguinal hernia, and feeding difficulties. The disorder is part of a group of similar neurologic disorders resulting from biochemical defects in the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthetic pathway (summary by Nguyen et al., 2018). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350. For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of GPI biosynthesis defects, see GPIBD1 (610293).
Brain abnormalities, neurodegeneration, and dysosteosclerosis
MedGen UID:
1678789
Concept ID:
C5193117
Disease or Syndrome
Brain abnormalities, neurodegeneration, and dysosteosclerosis (BANDDOS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by brain abnormalities, progressive neurologic deterioration, and sclerotic bone dysplasia similar to dysosteosclerosis (DOS). The age at onset is highly variable: some patients may present in infancy with hydrocephalus, global developmental delay, and hypotonia, whereas others may have onset of symptoms in the late teens or early twenties after normal development. Neurologic features include loss of previous motor and language skills, cognitive impairment, spasticity, and focal seizures. Brain imaging shows periventricular white matter abnormalities and calcifications, large cisterna magna or Dandy-Walker malformation, and sometimes agenesis of the corpus callosum (summary by Guo et al., 2019).
Neurodevelopmental disorder with or without autistic features and/or structural brain abnormalities
MedGen UID:
1714862
Concept ID:
C5394311
Disease or Syndrome
Neurodevelopmental disorder with or without autistic features and/or structural brain abnormalities (NEDASB) is an early-onset neurologic disorder characterized by global developmental delay, poor or absent speech and language development, and behavioral abnormalities reminiscent of autism spectrum disorder (ASD; 209850) or Angelman syndrome (AS; 105830). Additional features may include poor overall growth with small head circumference, axial hypotonia, spasticity, and seizures. Some patients have abnormal findings on brain imaging, including cerebral atrophy, cerebellar atrophy, and/or thin corpus callosum (summary by Mattioli et al., 2020).
Intellectual developmental disorder with paroxysmal dyskinesia or seizures
MedGen UID:
1727046
Concept ID:
C5436894
Disease or Syndrome
Intellectual developmental disorder with paroxysmal dyskinesia or seizures (IDDPADS) is an autosomal recessive complex neurologic disorder characterized by global developmental delay with impaired intellectual development and language delay. In addition, most patients develop a paroxysmal hyperkinetic movement disorder in the first months or years of life manifest as sudden falls or backward propulsion, eye or head deviation, and dystonic limb posturing followed by chorea and dyskinetic movements. The episodes are pharmacoresistant to anticonvulsant medication. EEG may show interictal abnormalities, but are usually not consistent with epilepsy. However, some patients may also develop epileptic seizures or only have seizures without a movement disorder (summary by Doummar et al., 2020).
Neurodevelopmental disorder with seizures and gingival overgrowth
MedGen UID:
1784299
Concept ID:
C5543395
Disease or Syndrome
Neurodevelopmental disorder with seizures and gingival overgrowth (NEDSGO) is an autosomal recessive disorder with a highly variable phenotype. Some patients have early normal development with developmental regression apparent in the first years of life, whereas others present with hypotonia or delayed development. Most patients develop significant gingival hypertrophy associated with a prominent mandible or cherubism in the first years of life. Other more variable features may include coarse facial features, optic atrophy, sensorineural hearing loss, ataxia, and seizures. Brain imaging may show cerebellar or cerebral atrophy and enlarged ventricles. There is a wide phenotypic spectrum with features that may develop with age; the disorder appears to comprise a continuum of evolving neurologic manifestations (Harms et al., 2020).
DYRK1A-related intellectual disability syndrome
MedGen UID:
1799566
Concept ID:
C5568143
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
DYRK1A syndrome is characterized by intellectual disability including impaired speech development, autism spectrum disorder including anxious and/or stereotypic behavior problems, and microcephaly. Affected individuals often have a clinically recognizable phenotype including a typical facial gestalt, feeding problems, seizures, hypertonia, gait disturbances, and foot anomalies. The majority of affected individuals function in the moderate-to-severe range of intellectual disability; however, individuals with mild intellectual disability have also been reported. Other medical concerns relate to febrile seizures in infancy; the development of epilepsy with seizures of the atonic, absence, and generalized myoclonic types; short stature; and gastrointestinal problems. Ophthalmologic, urogenital, cardiac, and/or dental anomalies have been reported.

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Heck DH, Zhao Y, Roy S, LeDoux MS, Reiter LT
Hum Mol Genet 2008 Jul 15;17(14):2181-9. Epub 2008 Apr 15 doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddn117. PMID: 18413322Free PMC Article

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Fairbrother LC, Cytrynbaum C, Boutis P, Buiting K, Weksberg R, Williams C
Am J Med Genet A 2015 Jul;167(7):1565-9. Epub 2015 Apr 21 doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.37058. PMID: 25899869
Van Buggenhout G, Fryns JP
Eur J Hum Genet 2009 Nov;17(11):1367-73. Epub 2009 May 20 doi: 10.1038/ejhg.2009.67. PMID: 19455185Free PMC Article
Aquino NH, Bastos E, Fonseca LC, Llerena JC Jr
Genet Test 2002 Summer;6(2):129-31. doi: 10.1089/10906570260199393. PMID: 12215253
Clarke DJ, Marston G
Am J Ment Retard 2000 Jan;105(1):25-31. doi: 10.1352/0895-8017(2000)105<0025:PBAWQA>2.0.CO;2. PMID: 10683706
Davidhizar R, Bowen M
Arch Psychiatr Nurs 1992 Apr;6(2):132-7. doi: 10.1016/0883-9417(92)90009-8. PMID: 1596112

Diagnosis

Tzagkaraki E, Sofocleous C, Fryssira-Kanioura H, Dinopoulos A, Goulielmos G, Mavrou A, Kitsiou-Tzeli S, Kanavakis E
Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2013 Jul;17(4):366-73. Epub 2013 Feb 14 doi: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2012.12.010. PMID: 23416059
Kyle PB, Iverson RB, Gajagowni RG, Spencer L
J Miss State Med Assoc 2011 Dec;52(12):375-7. PMID: 22329114
Lalande M, Calciano MA
Cell Mol Life Sci 2007 Apr;64(7-8):947-60. doi: 10.1007/s00018-007-6460-0. PMID: 17347796Free PMC Article
Aquino NH, Bastos E, Fonseca LC, Llerena JC Jr
Genet Test 2002 Summer;6(2):129-31. doi: 10.1089/10906570260199393. PMID: 12215253
Clarke DJ, Marston G
Am J Ment Retard 2000 Jan;105(1):25-31. doi: 10.1352/0895-8017(2000)105<0025:PBAWQA>2.0.CO;2. PMID: 10683706

Therapy

Park JM, Kim YW, Choi S
Clin Neuropharmacol 2021 Mar-Apr 01;44(2):77-79. doi: 10.1097/WNF.0000000000000433. PMID: 33480614
Al Kalbani F, Ahmad F, Elmanzalawy A, Al Futaisi A
Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J 2020 May;20(2):e231-e233. Epub 2020 Jun 28 doi: 10.18295/squmj.2020.20.02.016. PMID: 32655918Free PMC Article
Van Meter AR, Burke C, Kowatch RA, Findling RL, Youngstrom EA
Bipolar Disord 2016 Feb;18(1):19-32. Epub 2016 Jan 9 doi: 10.1111/bdi.12358. PMID: 26748678
Lalande M, Calciano MA
Cell Mol Life Sci 2007 Apr;64(7-8):947-60. doi: 10.1007/s00018-007-6460-0. PMID: 17347796Free PMC Article
Devanand DP, Sackeim HA, Decina P, Prudic J
J Clin Psychiatry 1988 Feb;49(2):69-71. PMID: 3338979

Prognosis

Patel N, Combs H, York M, Phan C, Jimenez-Shahed J
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 2018 Summer;30(3):214-219. Epub 2018 Mar 5 doi: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.17070131. PMID: 29505320
Van Meter AR, Burke C, Kowatch RA, Findling RL, Youngstrom EA
Bipolar Disord 2016 Feb;18(1):19-32. Epub 2016 Jan 9 doi: 10.1111/bdi.12358. PMID: 26748678
Aquino NH, Bastos E, Fonseca LC, Llerena JC Jr
Genet Test 2002 Summer;6(2):129-31. doi: 10.1089/10906570260199393. PMID: 12215253

Clinical prediction guides

Park JM, Kim YW, Choi S
Clin Neuropharmacol 2021 Mar-Apr 01;44(2):77-79. doi: 10.1097/WNF.0000000000000433. PMID: 33480614
Beckwith NL, Khil JC, Teng J, Liow KK, Smith A, Luna J
Hawaii J Med Public Health 2018 Dec;77(12):319-324. PMID: 30533284Free PMC Article
Patel N, Combs H, York M, Phan C, Jimenez-Shahed J
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 2018 Summer;30(3):214-219. Epub 2018 Mar 5 doi: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.17070131. PMID: 29505320
Van Meter AR, Burke C, Kowatch RA, Findling RL, Youngstrom EA
Bipolar Disord 2016 Feb;18(1):19-32. Epub 2016 Jan 9 doi: 10.1111/bdi.12358. PMID: 26748678
Clarke DJ, Marston G
Am J Ment Retard 2000 Jan;105(1):25-31. doi: 10.1352/0895-8017(2000)105<0025:PBAWQA>2.0.CO;2. PMID: 10683706

Supplemental Content

Table of contents

    Clinical resources

    Practice guidelines

    • PubMed
      See practice and clinical guidelines in PubMed. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.

    Consumer resources

    Recent activity

    Your browsing activity is empty.

    Activity recording is turned off.

    Turn recording back on

    See more...