Narcolepsus

Narcolepsus is a chronic neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles. The hallmark symptom is excessive daytime sleepiness, often described as an overwhelming urge to sleep that can occur at any time, regardless of how much sleep an individual has had. This sleepiness can lead to sudden and uncontrollable sleep attacks, where a person falls asleep for short periods.

Another common symptom is cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle tone that is often triggered by strong emotions such as laughter, surprise, or anger. This can range from mild weakness in the facial muscles to complete collapse. Some individuals with narcolepsus also experience sleep paralysis, a temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up, and hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations, vivid dream-like experiences that occur while falling asleep or waking up.

The exact cause of narcolepsus is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve a deficiency in hypocretin, a brain chemical that helps regulate wakefulness. In most cases, narcolepsus is thought to be an autoimmune condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks hypocretin-producing cells in the brain. It is not contagious.

Diagnosis typically involves a sleep study (polysomnography) and a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) to assess daytime sleepiness and the presence of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep at the onset of naps. There is currently no cure for narcolepsus, but treatments can help manage symptoms. These often include lifestyle adjustments, stimulant medications to combat excessive daytime sleepiness, and antidepressants to help with cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations. Support groups and education are also important components of managing the condition.