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.
- Progress toward an Ideal Sleeping Pillby Reynold Spector on December 4, 2024
Thirty percent of Americans report insomnia. After eliminating obvious causes, the best therapy for insomnia is cognitive behavioral therapy but this is not widely available. However, all the known oral sleeping aides are generally unsatisfactory. Recently, a new class of safe non-addicting, mechanism-based hypocretin blockers have been developed. Herein we review the information not only for insomnia but also for narcolepsy.
- Cerebral blood flow in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic reviewby Johanna Berthier on December 4, 2024
CONCLUSION: This review highlights diverse CBF anomalies in ADHD. The most consistently reported findings suggest hypoperfusion during resting state in prefrontal and temporal areas, along with the basal ganglia, while there is a hyperperfusion in frontal, parietal and occipital regions. Further research, including longitudinal studies, is essential to develop a comprehensive understanding of CBF implications in ADHD.
- 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...