The most common causes of
Narcolepsy is a brain and nervous system disorder that affects your ability to wake and sleep. People with narcolepsy have intense, uncontrollable daytime sleepiness. They may suddenly fall asleep at any time during any type of activity.
There are 5 main symptoms of narcolepsy, referred to by the acronym CHESS (Cataplexy, Hallucinations, Excessive daytime sleepiness, Sleep paralysis, Sleep disruption). While all patients with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness, they may not experience all 5 symptoms.
The most common causes of excessive daytime sleepiness are sleep deprivation, obstructive sleep apnea, and sedating medications. Other potential causes of excessive daytime sleepiness include certain medical and psychiatric conditions and sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy.
There are two main reasons you keep falling asleep when you sit down. You're either not getting enough sleep at night, have a sleep disorder or both. If you think you're getting enough sleep, you should consider visiting a somnologist to see why you keep falling asleep when you sit down.
Narcolepsy is characterized by uncontrollable excessive daytime sleepiness, paroxysmal cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations. It is often misdiagnosed as psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia, resulting from the overlap in symptoms and a lack of understanding of narcolepsy.
Things that have been suggested as possible triggers of narcolepsy include: hormonal changes, which can occur during puberty or the menopause. major psychological stress. an infection, such as swine flu, or the medicine used to vaccinate against it (Pandemrix)
Narcolepsy symptoms are often called a tetrad, meaning that there are four core symptoms of this condition: excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and cataplexy. Although everyone with narcolepsy experiences excessive daytime sleepiness, the other symptoms are less common.
Stimulants. Drugs that stimulate the central nervous system are the primary treatment to help people with narcolepsy stay awake during the day. Your health care provider may recommend modafinil (Provigil) or armodafinil (Nuvigil). These medicines aren't as habit-forming as older stimulants.
Excessive daytime sleepiness is usually the first sign of narcolepsy. It can have a significant impact on everyday life. Feeling drowsy throughout the day and struggling to stay awake makes it difficult to concentrate at work or school. People with narcolepsy may be misjudged as being lazy or rude.
You may also have a blood test to find out whether you have a genetic marker known as HLA DQB * 0602, which is associated with narcolepsy. A positive result supports a diagnosis, but does not make it 100% certain – 30% of people without narcolepsy also have the genetic marker.
While narcolepsy is a common sleep disorder with MS, there are also other sleep disorders that you may experience as well including insomnia, rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, restless leg syndrome and frequent urination.
A person with narcolepsy is extremely sleepy all the time and, in severe cases, falls asleep involuntarily several times every day. Narcolepsy is caused by a malfunction in a brain structure called the hypothalamus. Mild cases of narcolepsy can be managed with regular naps, while severe cases need medication.
Possible causes of excessive daytime sleepiness. Some medicines, drinking too much alcohol and taking drugs can also cause excessive daytime sleepiness. Sometimes there is no known cause. This is called idiopathic hypersomnia.
Those symptoms include loss of vision in an eye, loss of power in an arm or leg or a rising sense of numbness in the legs. Other common symptoms associated with MS include spasms, fatigue, depression, incontinence issues, sexual dysfunction, and walking difficulties.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders, such as panic attacks and social phobias, have been reported in as many as 53% of patients with narcolepsy [6]. The time course of development for specific anxiety disorders has been suggested to vary by type.
Narcolepsy symptoms usually first occur between age 15 and 30 years. Below are the most common symptoms. You may feel a strong urge to sleep, often followed by a period of sleep.
Xyrem (sodium oxybate) is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. While you're resting, it increases the amount of time that you spend in a deep sleep state. Since 2002, sodium oxybate has been FDA approved for use in adults living with narcolepsy.
Who is more likely to get narcolepsy? Narcolepsy affects both males and females equally. Symptoms often start in childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood (ages 7 to 25), but can occur at any time in life.
Imaging studies such as MRI are useful for excluding rare causes of symptomatic narcolepsy. Structural abnormalities of the brain stem and diencephalon may present as idiopathic narcolepsy. In patients with secondary narcolepsy, MRI of the brain may show various abnormalities that correspond to the underlying cause.
Stanford Sleep Specialists use two main tests to diagnose narcolepsy: the nocturnal polysomnogram and the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). The polysomnogram continuously records brain waves during sleep, as well as a number of nerve and muscle functions during nighttime sleep.