Association of Pseudobulbar Affect symptoms with quality of life and healthcare costs in Veterans with traumatic brain injury

•We examine Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA), quality of life(QOL) and health costs in TBI.•Overall health status decreased with increasing PBA symptom frequency/severity.•PBA symptoms were significantly associated with poorer QOL in 3 domains.•PBA-QOL associations are independent of comorbid PTSD.•Mean health costs were higher in mild and moderate-severe PBA symptoms versus low.