![]() These consequences can include poor performance at school, university, and/or work, social phobia, failed relationships, depression, and isolation. Left untreated the individual’s symptoms will usually increase in severity over the years, often resulting in ongoing consequences not only for them but for those around them as well. There is currently no cure for narcolepsy. ![]() What treatment is available for narcolepsy? It is important to note that any medication the patient is on prior to undergoing a sleep study may impact the results and therefore delay not only a correct diagnosis, but also delay the patient receiving appropriate and effective treatment and support. The results of the sleep study combined with any medical tests performed and a comprehensive medical history help doctors determine whether a patient has narcolepsy. Doctors look at how quickly and frequently the patient goes into rapid eye movement (REM)/dream sleep stage during the sleep study. The sleep study is comprised of two parts, a polysomnogram (PSG), which is the night-time component and a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), which is the daytime component where the patient is required to attempt to sleep at two hourly intervals throughout the day. People with type 2 narcolepsy do not experience cataplexy and many do not experience sleep paralysis or hallucinations.ĭiagnosis for narcolepsy usually includes a 24-hour full sleep study which records the patient’s brain waves. Less is known about type 2 narcolepsy, some researchers believe it could encompass a variety of different conditions, including the incomplete form of Idiopathic Hypersomnia. Type 2 Narcolepsy (narcolepsy without cataplexy). Hypocretin (also referred to as orexin) is a key neurotransmitter that helps regulate wakefulness and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Type 1 Narcolepsy (narcolepsy with cataplexy), research suggests is caused by a lack of hypocretin in the brain. Individuals will often wake up multiple times during the night due to things like insomnia, vivid-dreams, and restless legs. ![]() They can be both frightening and confusing.ĭisturbed night-time sleep: Because the sleep-wake cycle is different for people with narcolepsy, they may struggle to stay awake during the day but then also struggle to go to sleep and stay asleep at night. Hallucinations: People with narcolepsy can have visual, auditory, or tactile hallucinations which can occur upon falling asleep (hypnagogic) or waking up (hypnopompic). Sleep paralysis may be experienced by about 15% of the population whether they have narcolepsy or not. Sleep paralysis: The individual is unable to move for a few seconds or minutes, usually upon falling asleep or waking up. They can be very scary for the individual and depending on their surroundings, they can also be extremely vulnerable. While these episodes generally last a few seconds to a few minutes, there is a thing called Status Cataplecticus, which are longer episodes of cataplexy. During a full body collapse the individual is fully conscious however they are unable to move, speak or open their eyes. Some may feel their head nod, jaw slacken, or their knees buckle momentarily, while others may have a full body collapse. The severity and duration of cataplexy episodes varies among individuals. For someone without narcolepsy to understand the impact of this relentless sleepiness they would have to stay awake for 24 to 72 hours and then carry out their usual day-to-day activities.Ĭataplexy: Episodes of muscle weakness usually triggered by strong emotions such as happiness, laughter, surprise, or anger, but can also be triggered by stress, exhaustion, over stimulation, or feeling anxious or overwhelmed. While not all symptoms are experienced by or in the same way in people with narcolepsy, the main symptoms are:Įxcessive daytime sleepiness: People with narcolepsy encounter extreme sleepiness during the day and regardless of how much they sleep, never feel refreshed or recharged. This also makes it difficult to provide an exact number for people living with narcolepsy, but it is estimated to be 1 in 2000. Due to low awareness (even among health professionals), and misperceptions, it usually takes several years for people with narcolepsy to receive a diagnosis while even more are currently undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. While symptoms often start in childhood and adolescence, it can occur at any age, in any gender and with no previous history of narcolepsy in the family. Narcolepsy is a chronic and incurable neurological disorder that impairs the brain’s ability to regulate the sleep-wake cycle.
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