Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes excessive sleepiness and frequent daytime sleep attacks.
Alternative NamesDaytime sleep disorder; Cataplexy
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsNarcolepsy is a nervous system disorder, not a mental illness. Anxiety does not cause narcolepsy.
Experts believe that narcolepsy is caused by reduced amounts of a protein called hypocretin, which is made in the brain. What causes the brain to produce less of this protein is unclear.
Narcolepsy tends to run in families.
Conditions that cause insomnia, such as disrupted work schedules, can make narcolepsy worse.
SymptomsThe most common symptoms of narcolepsy are:
Not all patients have all four symptoms.
Signs and testsThe doctor will perform a physical exam and order blood work to rule out conditions that can cause similar symptoms. Conditions that can cause excessive sleepiness include:
Other tests may include:
Tests will also include a sleep study(polysomnogram). The Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) may be used to help diagnose narcolepsy. This test measures how long it takes you to fall asleep during a daytime nap. Patients with narcolepsy fall asleep much faster than people without the condition.
TreatmentThere is no known cure for narcolepsy. The goal of treatment is to control symptoms.
Lifestyle adjustments and learning to cope with the emotional and other effects of the disorder may help you function better in work and social activities. This involves:
You may need to take prescription medications. The stimulant drug modafinil (Provigil) is the first choice of treatment for narcolepsy. It is much less likely to be abused than other stimulants. The medicine also helps you stay awake. Other stimulants include dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, DextroStat) and methylphenidate (Ritalin).
Antidepressant medications can help reduce episodes of cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations. Antidepressants include:
Sodium oxybate (Xyrem) is prescribed to certain patients for use at night.
If you have narcolepsy, you may have driving restrictions. Restrictions vary from state to state.
Expectations (prognosis)Narcolepsy is a chronic, lifelong condition. It is not a deadly illness, but it may be dangerous if episodes occur during driving, operating machinery, or similar activities. Narcolepsy can usually be controlled with treatment. Treating other underlying sleep disorders can improve symptoms of narcolepsy.
ComplicationsCall your health care provider if:
There is no known way to prevent narcolepsy. Treatment may reduce the number of attacks. Avoid situations that aggravate the condition if you are prone to attacks of narcolepsy.
ReferencesDauvilliers Y, Arnulf I, Mignot E. Narcolepsy with cataplexy. Lancet. 2007;369(9560):499-511.
Morgenthaler TI, Kapur VK, Brown T, Swick TJ, Alessi C, Aurora RN, et al. Practice parameters for the treatment of narcolepsy and other hypersomnias of central origin. Sleep. 2007;30(12):1705-1711.
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes excessive sleepiness and frequent daytime sleep attacks.
Alternative NamesDaytime sleep disorder; Cataplexy
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsNarcolepsy is a nervous system disorder. The exact cause is known.
In some patients, narcolepsy is linked to reduced amounts of a protein called hypocretin, which is made in the brain. What causes the brain to produce less of this protein is unclear.
There is a possibility that narcolepsy is an autoimmune disorder. An autoimmune disorder is when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.
Narcolepsy tends to run in families. Certain genes are linked to narcolepsy.
SymptomsNarcolepsy symptoms usually first occur during ages 15 to 30.
The most common symptoms are:
The doctor will perform a physical exam and order blood work to rule out conditions that can cause similar symptoms. Conditions that can cause excessive sleepiness include:
Other tests may include:
There is no known cure for narcolepsy. The goal of treatment is to control symptoms.
Lifestyle changes and emotional counseling may help you do better in work and social activities. This involves:
You may need to take prescription medications to help you stay awake. The stimulant drug armodafinil is usually tried first. It is much less likely to be abused than other stimulants. Other stimulants include dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, DextroStat) and methylphenidate (Ritalin).
Antidepressant medications can help reduce episodes of cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations. Antidepressants include:
Sodium oxybate (Xyrem) is prescribed to some patients for use at night.
If you have narcolepsy, you may have driving restrictions. Restrictions vary from state to state.
Expectations (prognosis)Narcolepsy is lifelong (chronic) condition.
It is not deadly, but it may be dangerous if episodes occur during driving, operating machinery, or similar activities.
Narcolepsy can usually be controlled with treatment. Treating other underlying sleep disorders can improve symptoms of narcolepsy.
ComplicationsCall your health care provider if:
There is no known way to prevent narcolepsy. Treatment may reduce the number of attacks. Avoid situations that aggravate the condition if you are prone to attacks of narcolepsy.
ReferencesBiller J, Love BB, Schneck MJ. Sleep and its disorders. In: Bradley WG, Daroff RB, Fenichel GM, Jankovic J, eds. Neurology in Clinical Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Butterworth-Heinemann Elsevier; 2008:chap 72.
Mahowald MW. Disorders of sleep. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 412.
Reviewed ByReview Date: 09/26/2011
Luc Jasmin, MD, PhD, Departments of Anatomy Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) or Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy robs you of your energy. A study released at the annual conference for narcolepsy stated that a person without narcolepsy would have to stay awake for 32 hours straight to experience the same sensation of that of a person with narcolepsy who was awake for just 1 hour.
Narcolepsy - song - was created on 1997-04-08.
No, narcolepsy is a dyssomnia. It involves the timing, quantity, or quality of sleep.
40% of patients with narcolepsy have or have had another mental disorder. 18% of patients with narcolepsy are 10 years old or younger. It is estimated that 0.02-0.16% of the general population suffer from narcolepsy. Men and women are equally affected.
Yes.
Because he had narcolepsy, Joe seemed to fall asleep at inopportune times.
In about 8-12% of cases, people diagnosed with narcolepsy know of other family members with similar symptoms. Most people with the condition have no family members with narcolepsy.
A genetic blood test can reveal the existence of certain substances in people who have a tendency to develop narcolepsy. Positive test results suggest narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is the disorder where you fall asleep anywhere at anytime.
A lack of the protein hypocretin in the hippocampus and lower thalamus is thought to be the location of the main cause of narcolepsy.
No