Narcolepsy
A chronic sleep disorder that causes overwhelming daytime drowsiness.
The cause of narcolepsy isn’t well understood but may involve genetic factors and abnormal signaling in the brain.
Narcolepsy causes sudden attacks of sleep. Sudden loss of muscle tone and hallucinations might occur.
Stimulants, antidepressants, and other medications can help.
Cluster Number:
Wiki Number: PW130
Diagnosis: Narcolepsy
US Patients: Estimated to affect 200,000, but only 50,000 diagnosed.
World Patients:
Sex Ratio:
Age Onset: Adolescence and early adulthood
Brain Area:
Symptoms: Inability to regulate poor-quality sleep-wake cycles and brief, involuntary sleeping; 70% have catalepsy-sudden muscle weakness;
Progression: The Wikipedia article lists a number of genes and chromosomes regulating sleep, too complex for this overview.
Causes: family history 10%; loss of orexin neurons (which regulate sleep and wakefulness) in the lateral hypothalamus
Medications: Several other medications are being developed.
Therapies: regular short naps & sleep-hygiene=quiet bedroom, bed for sleep and sex only; regular bedtimes.
Youtube Video: What is Narcolepsy?
Amazon or Library Book:
My Dad Naps, Too!
Amazon or Library Book:
Waking Mathilda
Click the book to link or buy from Amazon.
Click the book to link or buy from Amazon.
Support Group: narcolepsynetwork.org; 401-667-2523
(Narcolepsy Network, Inc.)
4 CURRENT ARTICLES
FROM PUBMED
The world-wide medical research
reports chosen for each diagnosis
Clicking each title opens the
PubMed article’s summary-abstract.
- KCNMA1-Related Episodes of Behavioral Arrest and Loss of Postural Reflexes: A Critical Reappraisalby Emmanuel Roze on December 2, 2024
CONCLUSIONS: KCNMA1-related attacks are clearly distinguishable from paroxysmal dyskinesia, cataplexy or episodic ataxia indicating a unique phenomenological entity whose recognition will enhance accurate diagnosis and treatment.
- Corticosteroid-responsive narcolepsy type II after COVID-19: A relevant differential diagnosis of post-COVID syndrome (a case report)by Erika C S Künstler on December 2, 2024
Excessive daytime sleepiness is a possible symptom of post-COVID syndrome and is also the cardinal symptom of narcolepsy, a rare life-long sleep disorder with a possible autoimmune background. Recent reports indicate that COVID-19 infection may trigger narcolepsy. However, it remains unclear how best to identify and treat such cases. A 25-year-old male developed daytime sleepiness after COVID-19 infection. A diagnosis of narcolepsy type II was made based on pathologically shortened sleep...
- Sleep Disordersby Keisuke Suzuki on December 2, 2024
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that, owing to difficulties falling asleep or maintaining sleep and/or early morning awakening, causes daytime functional impairment. Other sleep disorders include sleep-related breathing disorders; sleep-related movement disorders, such as periodic limb movement disorder and restless legs syndrome; parasomnias, such as rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder and sleepwalking; and central disorders of hypersomnolence, such as narcolepsy. This article...
- Epidemiology of narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia in Japan: A retrospective analysis of health insurance claims from the Japan Medical Data Centerby Hiroshi Kadotani on November 30, 2024
CONCLUSIONS: This claims-based study provides updated estimates for the prevalence and incidence of narcolepsy in Japan, and the first estimates for prevalence and incidence of IH in Japan.