Narcolepsy: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes excessive sleepiness and frequent daytime sleep attacks. Causes Narcolepsy is a nervous system disorder. The exact cause is unknown. 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. Symptoms Narcolepsy symptoms usually first occur during ages 15 to 30. The most common symptoms are: Periods of extreme drowsiness during the day. Exams and Tests The doctor will perform a physical exam and order blood work to rule out conditions that can cause similar symptoms.
Other tests may include: Treatment There is no known cure for narcolepsy. Lifestyle changes and emotional counseling may help you do better in work and social activities. [Narcolepsy Internet] Narcolepsy - A Sleep Disorder. Narcolepsy - A Sleep Disorder Updated 09-14-07 This site is dedicated to all that live with the symptoms of narcolepsy To go straight to index click here Visit a complete list of WebRing memberships here <center><table bgcolor=gray cellspacing=0 border=2 bordercolor=red><tr><td><table cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr><td align=center><span>This site is a member of WebRing. <br />To browse visit <a href=" Here</a>. Okay, Everyone!
I am going to make a recommendation for narcolepsy chats. Scheduled Chats Back to Top By E. Just in case you don't have time to read my entire commentary, the title gets right to the point. Best wishes to everyone, Sometimes Laughter is NOT the best medicine I have narcolepsy. My neurologist once told me that only 20% of all narcoleptics experience all the symptoms (cataplexy, sleep paralysis, sleep attacks, hallucinations).
I know most people believe that narcolepsy is a silly disorder and psychological. Narcolepsy. SleepEducation.com. Narcolepsy Overview - Narcolepsy - Sleep Channel. Overview of Narcolepsy Narcolepsy affects an estimated 25 in every 100,000 people in the United States. This sleep disorder is primarily characterized by intermittent, uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep during the daytime. Three additional symptoms are typically associated with narcolepsy: cataplexy (short-lived intermittent muscle weakness), hypnogogic and hypnopompic hallucinations (hallucinations while falling asleep or waking), and sleep paralysis (paralysis while falling asleep or waking).
Narcolepsy usually begins when a person is in their teens or early twenties. Stimulants and antidepressants are used to treat narcolepsy and subsequent cataplexy. Incidence of Narcolepsy Narcolepsy usually begins in the teens or early twenties (10 to 20 years old), but this varies; both young children and the elderly experience sleep attacks as well. Narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep. People with narcolepsy often find it difficult to stay awake for long periods of time, regardless of the circumstances.
Narcolepsy can cause serious disruptions in your daily routine. Contrary to what some people believe, narcolepsy isn't related to depression, seizure disorders, fainting, simple lack of sleep or other conditions that may cause abnormal sleep patterns. Narcolepsy is a chronic condition for which there's no cure. SymptomsOct. 24, 2012 References Ahmed I, et al. Center for Narcolepsy - Stanford University School of Medicine. The Stanford Center for Narcolepsy has now identified circulating immune T cells that react to hypocretin, together with a specific protein target of the autoimmune attack, conclusively demonstrating the autoimmune basis for the disease in a process called molecular mimicry.
Learn more about this groundbreaking discovery and how you can help support future discoveries. Click here to read the full scientific article published December 18th, 2013 in the journal of Science Translational Medicine. Our Mission: The goals of the Stanford Center for Narcolepsy are to: find the cause of narcolepsy, develop new treatments and eventually prevent and cure this complex disorder. The Disorder: Narcolepsy is a life-long, disabling illness that affects more than 1 in 2,000 Americans. Currently, most individuals with the disorder remain undiagnosed and untreated. Narcolepsy is characterized by permanent, overwhelming feelings of sleepiness and fatigue. Our Research: Today, under the direction of Dr.
Donate: Narcolepsy Fact Sheet. See a list of all NINDS Disorders Get Web page suited for printing Email this to a friend or colleague Request free mailed brochure Narcolepsia PDF version (311 KB) Table of Contents (click to jump to sections) What is narcolepsy? Narcolepsy is a chronic brain disorder that involves poor control of sleep-wake cycles. People with narcolepsy experience periods of extreme daytime sleepiness and sudden, irresistible bouts of sleep that can strike at any time. Narcolepsy can greatly affect daily activities. Contrary to common beliefs, people with narcolepsy do not spend a substantially greater proportion of their time asleep during a 24-hour period than do normal sleepers. For most adults, a normal night's sleep lasts about 8 hours and is composed of four to six separate sleep cycles. For normal sleepers a typical sleep cycle is about 100 to 110 minutes long, beginning with NREM sleep and transitioning to REM sleep after 80 to 100 minutes.
Who gets narcolepsy? What are the symptoms? Cataplexy. Narcolepsy Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment by MedicineNet. Narcolepsy.